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SPACE RESEARCH IN SLOVAKIA

2018 – 2019

SLOVAK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

COSPAR

SLOVAK NATIONAL COMMITTEE

Slovak Central Observatory Hurbanovo

MAY 2020

Space Research in Slovakia 2018 – 2019

National Committee of COSPAR in Slovak Republic

Slovak Academy of Sciences

Editors: Ivan Dorotovič and Ján Feranec

Slovak Central Observatory, Hurbanovo, May 2020

ISBN: 978-80-89998-09-8

CONTENTS

1. EXPERIMENTS FOR MEASUREMENTS IN SPACE ………….… 4

J. Baláž, P. Bobík, M. Musilová

2. SPACE PHYSICS, GEOPHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY………….. 13

J. Baláž, P. Bobík, I. Dorotovič, R. Langer, L. Kornoš, Š. Mackovjak,

M. Revallo, J. Rybák, J. Šilha, J. Tóth

3. LIFE SCIENCES ………….…………….………….……...… 35

M. Musilová

4. MATERIAL RESEARCH IN SPACE ……………………...….... 38

J. Lapin

5. REMOTE SENSING………………………………….............. 39

Ľ. Balažovič, I. Barka, T. Bucha, J. Feranec, T. Goga, M. Kopecká, J. Oťaheľ,

J. Pajtík, J. Papčo, P. Pastorek, M. Rusnák, I. Sačkov, M. Sviček, D. Szatmári,

A. Zverková

6. SPACE METEOROLOGY…………..…………………............ 70

J. Kaňák, Ľ. Okon, L. Méri, M. Jurašek

7. PARTICIPATING IN SPACE RESEARCH IN SLOVAKIA.

NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF COSPAR …………..…………. 82

1. EXPERIMENTS FOR MEASUREMENTS IN SPACE

J. Baláž, P. Bobík, M. Musilová

Experiment MEP-2 on board of Spektr-R (Radioastron)

The data acquisition from the experiment MEP-2 was terminated on 10th

January 2019 as a result of failure of communication with the Spektr-R spacecraft

due to the spacecraft command receiver malfunction. The mission was anyway

very successful as it was operative on orbit for 7.5 years instead of planned 3

years. The programmable energetic particle spectrometer MEP-2, developed and

constructed at the Department of Space Physics IEP-SAS was operative over

entire mission lifetime and delivered large amount of valuable science data.

Figure 1.1. Energetic particle spectrometer MEP-2. The configuration on delivery and after

installation on board of the space observatory Spektr-R (Radioastron).

The description and on-orbit operation of the PLAZMA-F suite is described in

[1], the MEP-2 experiment is described in [2]. Amid significant results of the

MEP-2 experiment, e.g., a new type of oscillations of energetic ions flux near the

Earth’s bow shock was revealed [3]. This kind of particle flux variability could

be ever observed due to high time resolution and wide energy range of MEP-2

spectrometer.

Experiment SERENA/PICAM for mission ESA-BepiColombo

IEP SAS contributed to ESA-BepiColombo mission to planet Mercury in the

frame of scientific-technical cooperation with Space Technology Ireland (STIL)

and Institute for Space Research of Austrian Academy of Sciences (IWF-ÖAW).

The delivery involved the mechanical structures of the PICAM (Planetary Ion

Camera) instrument that were manufactured in Slovakia (mechanical stress

simulations and mechanical components manufacture on 5-axis centre of Q-

Products, Bratislava, space-qualified processing and integration and testing at

IEP-SAS, Košice).

Figure 1.2. SERENA / PICAM and Mercury planetary orbiter (MPO) of BepiColombo mission.

PICAM is a part of a complex space science suite SERENA for particle

detection at planet Mercury, the launch of the mission was on 20th October 2018,

the science payload is operating nominally. The first flyby of planet Earth is

scheduled on March 2020 followed be flyby of planet Venus in October 2020.

The arrival to Mercury is scheduled in 2025. The detailed description of the

PICAM device is provided in [4].

Experiment PEP/JDC for mission ESA-JUICE

Experiment PEP (Particle Environment Package) will provide comprehensive

detection and analysis of the plasma and particle environment in the system of

planet Jupiter and its Galilean moons Europa, Calisto and Ganymede. PEP will

measure density and flux of positive and negative ions, electrons, exospheric

neutral gas, thermal plasma and energetic neutral atoms in the energy range from

<0.001 eV to >1 MeV with full angular coverage. The PEP suite includes six

sensors (JDC, JEI, JoEE, NIM, JNA and JENI) that are under development at

several EU and US institutions led by Swedish Institute for Space Physics (IRF,

P.I. prof. S. Barabash). Based on invitation from IRF, the IEP-SAS contributes to

development and construction of anti-coincidence particle detection system for

JDC sensor (Jovian plasma Dynamics and Composition) of the PEP suite. The

anti-coincidence system will improve the plasma particles detection efficiency on

the background of penetrating electron radiation from Jovian radiation belts. The

system consists from silicon solid state detector (SSD) and dedicated processing

electronic unit (ANU).

Figure 1.3. JDC sensor of the PEP science suite and JUICE spacecraft orbiting in the system

of Jupiter and its Galilean moons.

The JUICE mission including the PEP science suite description is described in

[5], the JDC sensor is in details described in [6].

The participation of IEP SAS to JUICE mission is supported by Slovak PECS

(Plan for European Cooperating States) project named: “Slovak contribution to

ESA-JUICE mission: Development of Anti-Coincidence Module ACM for Particle

Environment Package PEP”.

The development, manufacture, testing and calibration of the ACM/EM

(engineering model) were finished in December 2018. The EM unit was then

delivered to IRF Kiruna, Sweden, where it was successfully integrated to the

JDC/EM sensor system.

The flight model (ACM/FM) was built from the space-qualified components

during 2019, the final assembly, testing and calibration was performed in October-

November 2019 at IEP SAS Kosice and the unit was finally delivered to IRF

Kiruna for integration to JDC/FM system.

Figure 1.4. (Left) ACM/EM subsystem after integration to JDC/EM at IRF Kiruna. (Right)

ACM/FM under thermal-vacuum test in SPACEVAC space simulator at IEP-SAS Kosice.

Experiment ASPECT-L for project LUNA-26

The experiment ASPECT-L is currently under development at IEP-SAS in

cooperation with Institute for Space Research (IKI-RAN), Moscow, for lunar

mission LUNA-26.

Figure 1.5. Energetic particle spectrometer ASPECT-L for LUNA-26 mission and its position

onboard of the Orbiter spacecraft.

The Structural Thermal Model (ASPECT-L/STM) was delivered to IKI-RAN

in 2015, the engineering model of the instrument (ASPECT-L/EM) was delivered

to IKI-RAN in October 2019.

Figure 1.6. ASPECT-L/EM (Engineering Model) as delivered to IKI-RAN, Moscow, Russia, in

October 2019.

Participation of Slovakia in the project JEM-EUSO

JEM-EUSO (Japanese Experiment Module – Extreme Universe Space

Observatory) experiment will search for ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR,

with energy above 10^19 eV) by monitoring UV light produced in their

interaction with atmosphere from International Space Station. Department of

Space Physics IEP-SAS works in project frame mainly on UV background model

at the Earth night side. Pattern recognition methods for showers detection in

EUSO experiments measurements are developed at Technical University in

Kosice.

In the UV background model, we focus specifically on identification and

quantification of in the upper atmosphere produced airglow light intensity

variations. The analysis shows the main variations that should be searched in

measurements of the Mini-EUSO experiment operating at ISS since August 2019.

As an important outcome, we present the article Ultra-violet Imaging of the

Night-Time Earth by EUSO-Balloon towards space-based ultra-high energy

cosmic ray observations [7]. This is an article with the analysis of measurements

of the EUSO balloon experiment, which took its flight in August 2014. The article

is devoted to the first measurement by a EUSO class detector looking for ultra-

high energy cosmic ray showers from above. The probability of capturing the

shower signal during this flight was not high, the flight served as a technology test

detector and for background measurement, which is a limiting factor in the

observation of showers.

The activities of the IEP SAS group were oriented also on preparing and

building a global network of UV detectors. The UV detector network named

AMON-net is designed for long-term monitoring of the global dynamics of

airglow radiation generation. At present, the network has been in operation and

its main stations have been continuously measuring for more than two years (the

stations in Mexico at the Astronomico Nacional de San Pedro Martir Observatory

and the Canary Islands, Los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma). Other stations

in Germany and the Kolonica Observatory have been measuring continuously for

over a year. Test measurements and control measurements of weeks to months

were carried out in Sweden, the USA, and the Lomnicky Stit. Publication [8]

describing the AMON detector, which is the measuring station for the AMON-

net network. The development of the flight version of the AMON detector is an

ongoing activity. Two test flights were realized at the stratospheric platform

HiDron (www.stratodynamics.ca) in August 2019. First to altitude 30 km, second

to altitude 34 km. A flight version of the detector, AMON (2 pieces) and EMON

(3 pieces) are prepared for NASA EUSO-SPB2 flight, to perform UV background

and light conditions measurements in the main EUSO mission detector.

The evaluation of EUSO-SPB measurements by machine learning methods is

presented in [9]. Analysis of the first measurements from TA-EUSO presents the

ground experiment [10]. Results of calibration measurements of UV light sources

during EUSO flight balloon shows [11].

Figure 1.7. HiDron with AMON on CNES balloon before the flight from Timmins, 31. August

2019.

Information regarding the first Slovak satellite skCUBE

The first Slovak satellite skCUBE was designed, developed and successfully

launched into orbit on the 23rd June 2017. The skCUBE project was run by the

Slovak Organisation for Space Activities (SOSA), in collaboration with the

Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Technical University in Košice

and the University of Žilina and dozens of companies. In total, over 60 people

volunteered on this project. It was partially funded by the Ministry of Education,

Science, Research and Sport, the Ministry of Transport and the Prime Minister of

the Slovak Republic. In July 2017 the nanosatellite suffered a problem in orbit.

Despite this issue, it continued to transmit data, which were collected by multiple

ground stations all around Slovakia on a daily basis. The satellite functioned

without a restart for 569 days. On the 15th of January 2019, the nanosatellite

stopped transmitting data. A few days prior to this, some parts of the satellite

seemed to be overheating. Members of SOSA attempted to reconnect to the

satellite for several days without success. The project was therefore terminated on

the 1st of February 2019.

Data from the satellite are freely available. They are still being processed by

SOSA members and by students from all over Slovakia, Czechia and elsewhere

in the world, who have included them in their bachelors and masters theses. SOSA

also prepared a course open to the public, providing basic information about

receiving and processing satellite data. There was a lot of interest for this course,

which may continue to be provided to students and the public in the future.

Furthermore, the success of the skCUBE project inspired several members of

SOSA and collaborators abroad from Hungary, Japan and the Czech Republic to

prepare a scientific mission called Cubesats Applied for MEasuring and

LOcalising Transients (CAMELOT). Members of SOSA and the skCUBE team

are taking part in the preparation of the CAMELOT nanosatellite fleet hardware.

References:

[1] ZELENYI, L.M. - ZASTENKER, G.N. - PETRUCHOVICH, A.A. -

CHESALIN, L.S. - NAZAROV, V.N. - BALÁŽ, J. - KUDELA, K. -

STRHÁRSKÝ, I. - SLIVKA, M. PLASMA-F Experiment: Three Years of On-

Orbit Operation. In Solar System Research, 2015, vol. 49, no. 7, p. 580-603, ISSN

0038-0946.

[2] BALÁŽ, J. - GLADYSHEV, V.A. - KUDELA, K. - PETRUKOVICH, A.A.

- SARRIS, E. - SARRIS, T. - SLIVKA, M. - STRHÁRSKÝ, I. Energetic Particle

Measurements Onboard Spectr-R with MEP-2. Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya

2013, Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 100–106.

[3] PETRUKOVICH, A.A. - INAMORI, T. - BALAZ, J. - KUDELA, K. -

SLIVKA, M. - STRHARSKY, I. - GLADYSHEV, V.A. - SARRIS, T. -SARRIS,

E. (2015). Oscillations of energetic ions flux near the Earth’s bow shock, J.

Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 120, doi:10.1002/2015JA021077.

[4] ORSINI, S. - LIVI, S. ,..., BALAZ, J. - KUDELA, K., et al. SERENA: A suite

of four instruments (ELENA, STROFIO, PICAM and MIPA) on board

BepiColombo-MPO for particle detection in the Hermean environment. Planetary

and Space Science 58 (2010), pp 166-181, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2008.09.012

[5] http://sci.esa.int/juice/54993-juice-definition-study-report-red-book/

[6] STUDE, J. Advanced Plasma Analyzer for Measurements in the

Magnetosphere of Jupiter. Doctoral Thesis. Swedish Institute of Space Physics

and Umeå University, 2016.

https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:926416/FULLTEXT01.pdf

[7] The JEM-EUSO Collaboration (corresponding authors: MACKOVJAK, Š. -

SHINOYAKI, K.), Astroparticle Physics, 111, 54, 2019

[8] MACKOVJAK, Š. - BOBÍK, P. - BALÁŽ, J. – STRHÁRSKY, I. – PUTIŠ,

M. – GORODETZKY, P., Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research

Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors, and Associated Equipment,

992,150, 2019

[9] VRABEL, M. - GENCI, J. - BOBÍK, P. - BISCONTI, F., 36th ICRC, July

24th-August 1st, 2019 in Madison, WI, U.S.A. Online at https://pos.sissa.it/cgi-

bin/reader/conf.cgi?confid=358, id.456

[10] The JEM-EUSO Collaboration, Astroparticle Physics, Volume 102, p. 98-

111, 2018

[11] The JEM-EUSO Collaboration, Journal of Instrumentation, Volume 13, Issue

05, pp. P05023, 2018

[12] SZABÓ, P. - GOMBÍKOVÁ, K. - FERENCOVÁ, M. - KOŠUDA, M.,

"Keplerian Orbit and Satellite skCUBE," 2019 New Trends in Aviation

Development (NTAD), Chlumec nad Cidlinou, Czech Republic, 2019, pp. 174-

179.

[13] VERTAT, I. - LINHART, R. - Pokorny, M. - MASOPUST, J. - FIALA, P. -

MRAZ, J., "Small satellite ground station in Pilsen — experiences with

VZLUSAT-1 commanding and future modifications toward open reference

ground station solution," 2018 28th International Conference Radioelektronika

(RADIOELEKTRONIKA), Prague, 2018, pp. 1-6.

[14] OJUR, B.A., 2019. Low cost and portable software defined radio ground

station (Doctoral dissertation, Engineering and the Built Environment).

[15] BURGER, E. – BORDACCHINI, G., 2019. Chronology of Space Activities

in 2017. In Yearbook on Space Policy 2017 (pp. 313-357). Springer, Cham.

Zimmer, P., McGraw, J.T. and Ackermann, M.R., 2019. Optical measurements of

faint LEO RSOs: Cubesats and Fengyun 1C Debris.

[16] SPODNIAK, M. - Semrád, K. - AS AL-RABEEI, S. - MAJCHEROVÁ, N.

- KORBA, P. - HOVANEC, M., "MKP analýza vlastných frekvencií lopatiek

plynovej turbíny motora iSTC-21v." (2019).

[17] BULANOV, D., 2018. Thesis for Doctor’s Degree (Doctoral dissertation,

Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications).

[18] ONDREJÁK, M., 2019. Česko a Slovensko v kozmickej ekonomike

(Doctoral dissertation, Masarykova univerzita, Ekonomicko-správní fakulta).

[19] SWARTWOUT, M., 2018. Reliving 24 Years in the Next 12 Minutes: A

Statistical and Personal History of University-Class Satellites.

63 992

2. SPACE PHYSICS, GEOPHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY

J. Baláž, P. Bobík, I. Dorotovič, L. Kornoš, R. Langer, Š. Mackovjak,

M. Revallo, J. Rybák, J. Šilha, J. Tóth

The Department of Space Physics, Institute of Experimental Physics, SAS,

Košice (http://space.saske.sk) in collaboration with the laboratories in abroad

continued studies of the dynamics of low energy cosmic rays (CR) and of

suprathermal cosmic particles, as well as high energy cosmic rays based on

measurements in space and on the ground.

Analysis of long term continual measurements by Neutron Monitor at High

Altitude Laboratory of IEP SAS Lomnický štít (LŠ, data in real time available at

http://neutronmonitor.ta3.sk) along with other neutron monitors were used to

confirm correlation between radiation exposures of aircrew members from

selected airline operators registered in the Czech Republic from 1998 up to 2018.

Results of this radiation protection study are presented in [1].

Thunderstorm ground enhancements (TGEs) of secondary cosmic ray fluxes,

recorded by the SEVAN detector system, are compared with simultaneous

measurements of electric field at the LŠ mountain top and on its slope at the

observatory of Skalnaté Pleso from May to September in 2017 and from May to

October in 2018

Observation of the processes in Earth's magnetosphere by means of energetic

neutral atoms (ENA) continues by analysis of data obtained by Neutral atom

imaging detector NUADU [2]. The device was constructed at the Institute of

Experimental Physics in collaboration with Space Technology Ireland, Swedish

Institute of Space Physics, Chinese National Space Science Center and operated

on board of the Double Star TC2 spacecraft [3]. Although the TC2 spacecraft was

injected to high apogee orbit, its perigee in range 500 - 800 km also allowed close

up observations at low altitudes in polar region where energetic ion precipitation

take place. The novel analyses has concentrated to emissions of low-altitude ENA

during magnetospheric substorms and showed that the best way to observe

dynamics of magnetospheric ring current variations is from a low orbit spacecraft.

It was shown that the closer the imaging device is to the ENA emission source,

the higher temporal and spatial resolution data can be obtained. In the substorm

expansion phase, magnetic field stretching tailward causes the ion deposition due

to the pitch angle diffusion of RC ions. During the substorm recovery phase,

magnetic field di-polarization with the energetic ion injection at night

accompanied by precipitating ions caused by the pitch angle diffusion at dusk.

This was demonstrated for the first time at a temporal resolution of one minute.

Within the studies of Sun-Earth relations, we have concentrated on the research

of a faint light in the altitudes 80 - 300 km, called airglow. The airglow is not a

well-explored phenomenon. To determine the response of airglow production to

disturbances of the magnetosphere for ground measurements. The result is a

publication [4] with an estimation of the decrease in airglow intensity depending

on the degree of magnetosphere disturbances described by the Dst index for

selected positions on the Earth's surface. These are observatories with suitable

meteorological conditions and a series of positions along the auroral boundary for

a highly disturbed magnetosphere (Kp = 8). The second area was the evaluation

of UV background measurements from the EUSO balloon flight in 2014. This

activity was a continuation of the work of previous years published in the article

[5] in 2018 with the conclusions of the analysis. Characterization of its influence

on the detection of extensive air showers, where it acts as a background, is just in

the beginning. Therefore, we have started our own program of airglow monitoring

with one-pixel detectors [6]. This program is supported by the government of

Slovakia through an ESA (European Space Agency) contract under the PECS

(Plan for European Cooperating States).

References:

[1] KUBANČÁK, J. - KYSELOVÁ, D. - KOVÁŘ, I. - HLAVÁČOVÁ, M. -

LANGER, R. - STRHÁRSKY, I. - KUDELA, K. - DAVÍDKOVÁ, M. - PLOC,

O. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, Volume 186, Issue 2-3, December 2019,

Pages 211–214, https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncz204

[2] LU, L. - McKENNA-LAWLOR, S. - BALÁŽ, J. Close up observation and

inversion of low-altitude ENA emissions during a substorm event. Sci. China

Earth Sci. 62, 1024-1032 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-018-9307-x

[3] McKENNA-LAWLOR, S. - BALÁŽ, J. - STRHÁRSKÝ, I. - BARABASH,

S. - BRINKFELDT, K. - LI, L. - SHEN, C. - SHI, J. - ZONG, Q. - KUDELA, K.

- FU, S. - ROELOF, E. C. - son BRANDT, P. C. - DANDOURAS, I. The energetic

NeUtral Atom Detector Unit (NUADU) for China’s Double Star Mission and its

calibration. Nucl Inst Method Phys Res Sect A, 2004, 530: 311-

322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2004.04.244

[4] PUTIŠ, M. - BOBÍK, P., - MACKOVJAK, Š.: 2018, Method for analysis of

the effect of geomagnetic disturbances on Ultraviolet airglow intensity.

Earth and Space Science, 5, 790–800. https://doi.org/10.1029/2017EA000358

[5] The JEM-EUSO Collaboration (corresponding authors: Mackovjak, Š. &

Shinozaki, K.): 2019, Ultra-violet imaging of the night-time earth by EUSO-

Balloon towards space-based ultra-high energy cosmic ray observations,

Astroparticle Physics, 111, 54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.astropartphys.2018.10.008

[6] MACKOVJAK, Š. - BOBÍK, P. - BALÁŽ, J. - STRHÁRSKÝ, I., PUTIŠ, M.

- GORODETZKY, P.: 2019, Airglow monitoring by one-pixel detector, Nuclear

Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators,

Spectrometers, Detectors, and Associated Equipment, 992, 150.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2018.12.073

The Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University,

Bratislava was involved in the following eight directions of research as listed

below.

Photometric observations and research of asteroids at Astronomical and

Geophysical Observatory Modra, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and

Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava

The photometric program of asteroid observations continued at Astronomical

and Geophysical Observatory in Modra, Comenius University in Bratislava, some

of the projects also in collaboration with the Astronomical Institute of the Czech

Academy of Sciences, Ondřejov, Czech Republic.

In [1] we studied the membership, size ratio and rotational properties of 13

asteroid clusters consisting of between 3 and 19 known members that are on

similar heliocentric orbits. By backward integrations, we confirmed their cluster

membership and estimated times elapsed since separation of the secondaries from

the primary that are between 105 and a few 106 years. By using photometric

observations we derived the accurate absolute magnitudes of primaries and

rotation periods for all the clusters. We found that 11 of the 13 clusters follow the

same trend of primary rotation period vs. mass ratio as revealed by Pravec et al.

(2010).

The spin states of Non-Principal Axis (NPA) rotators offer significant clue to

the evolutionary processes of these asteroids because their excited spin states are

thought to be caused by internal and/or external forces in the past. Incorporating

the photometric datasets obtained from the three apparitions, 2006, 2016 and

2017, we constructed its spin state and shape model of Krylov [2]. We found that

the asteroid is rotating in Short Axis Mode (SAM) with rotation and precession

periods of 68.15 h and 396.30 h, respectively. The largest and intermediate

principal inertia moments are nearly the same: Ib/Ic = 0.98. However, the smallest

principal inertia moments is less than the half of the others: Ia/Ic = 0.23. We

outlined the possible evolutionary processes which led to the observed spin state.

We conducted a photometric, spectroscopic, and dynamical study of V-type

asteroids outside the Vesta family in the inner main belt [3]. The aim was to find

traces of once existing differentiated planetesimals other than Vesta, to provide

the missing observational evidence for theories predicting an abundance of such

planetesimals in the early solar system.

In [4] we presented the study of a sample of 93 asteroid pairs that are on highly

similar heliocentric orbits. We estimated times elapsed since separation of pair

members that are between 7×103 yr and a few 106 yr. With photometric

observations, we derived the rotation periods P1 for all the primaries and a sample

of secondaries. For a part of the studied pairs, we refined their WISE geometric

albedos and collected or estimated their taxonomic classifications. For 17 asteroid

pairs, we also determined their pole positions. Moreover, we found that the

primaries of 13 asteroid pairs in our sample are actually binary or triple systems,

i.e., they have one or two bound, orbiting secondaries. We compared the obtained

asteroid pair data with theoretical predictions and discussed their implications.

We found that 86 of the 93 studied asteroid pairs follow the trend of primary

rotation period vs mass ratio that was found by Pravec et al. (2010). Of the 7

outliers, 4 are high mass ratio pairs that were unpredicted by the theory of asteroid

pair formation by rotational fission. The 13 asteroid pairs with binary primaries

are particularly interesting systems that place important constraints on formation

and evolution of asteroid pairs.

Meteor observations and analyses by AMOS network

In 2018-2019 continued the monitoring of meteor activity above the Central

Europe, Canary Islands, Atacama desert in Chile and Hawaii by All-sky Meteor

Orbit System (AMOS), autonomous video observatory for detection of transient

events on the sky. Hardware and software of AMOS have been developed and

constructed at the Astronomical and Geophysical observatory of Comenius

University in Modra.

We introduced and demonstrate the capability of the updated All-Sky Meteor

Orbit System (AMOS) (called AMOS-Spec) [5] to measure the emission lines

intensites of meteoric element abundances of meteors. The AMOS-Spec program

has been created with the intention of carrying out regular systematic

spectroscopic observations. At the same time, the meteoroid trajectory and pre-

atmospheric orbit are independently measured from data collected by the AMOS

camera network. This, together with spectral information, allows us to find the

link between the meteoroid and its parent body, from both dynamical and physical

consideration. Here we report results for 202 selected cases.

Figure 2.1. Distribution of spectral classes identified within the sample of 202 meteoroids in

the mm to dm size range.

Figure 2.2. Ternary diagram displaying the spectral classification of 202 meteors of -1 to -14

abs. mag. (corresponding to meteoroids of mm to dm sizes) observed by the AMOS-Spec system

during 2013–2017 from AGO Modra Slovakia.

Development of Slovakian optical sensor for space debris objects cataloguing

and research

The Department of Astronomy which is part of the Faculty of Mathematics,

Physics and Informatics of Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia (FMPI

CU) won an ESA PECS Slovakia activity with a main goal to transform a 0.7-m

Newton telescope (AGO70) dedicated to amateur astronomical observations to a

professional optical system for regular support of the space debris tracking and

research [6]. The development started with the telescope installation at the FMPI’s

Astronomical and Geophysical Observatory in Modra, Slovakia (AGO) in

September 2016. It was necessary to adapt the low-level telescope control to the

needs of space debris tracking. For the image processing software we have chosen

a modular design. It contains several individual elements performing tasks such

as objects search on the frames, centroiding, astrometric reduction and tracklet

building. The observation planning has been developed focusing on Low Earth

Orbits (LEO) up to Geosynchronous Earth Orbits (GEO). The output products

delivered by the system are astrometric positions in international formats (CCSDS

TDM and MPC), light curves and relative color indices obtained by using

Johnson-Cousins BVRI filters.

Fully operational AGO70 system will support cataloguing efforts of the

European partners, which are maintaining their own space debris catalogues for

research and space surveillance and tracking purposes. AGO70 shall support the

tracking of LEO debris by the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) stations. In case of

contingencies during ESA satellite missions, e.g., when the spacecraft is not

responsive, a dedicated observation campaign can be performed with AGO70 to

exam the integrity status of the affected spacecraft, to monitor its attitude motion

state and to improve the object’s orbital information.

Figure 2.3. AGO70 telescope installed at the Astronomical and Geophysical Observatory in

Modra, Slovakia (left) and light frames acquired with GEO (top right) and LEO tracking (top

bottom).

References:

[1] PRAVEC, P. - FATKA, P. - VOKROUHLICKÝ, D - SCHEERES, D. J. -

KUŠNIRÁK, P. - HORNOCH, K. - GALÁD, A. - VRAŠTIL, J. - PRAY, D. P. -

KRUGLY, YU. N. - GAFTONYUK, N. M. - INASARIDZE, R. YA. -

AYVAZIAN, V. R. - KVARATSKHELIA, O. I. - ZHUZHUNADZE, V. T. -

HUSÁRIK, M. - COONEY, W. R. - GROSS, J. - TERRELL, D. - VILÁGI, J. -

KORNOŠ, L. - GAJDOŠ, Š. - BURKHONOV, O. - EHGAMBERDIEV, SH. A.

- DONCHEV, Z. - BORISOV, G. - BONEV, T. - RUMYANTSEV, V. V. -

MOLOTOV, I. E.: Asteroid clusters similar to asteroid pairs. Icarus, 2018,

Volume 304, p. 110-126.

[2] LEE, H.-J. - DURECH, J. - KIM, M.-J. - MOON, H.-K. - KIM, CH.-H. -

CHOI, Y.-J. - GALAD, A. - PRAY, D. - MARCINIAK, A. - KAPLAN, M. -

ERECE, O. - DUFFARD, R. - KORNOS, L. - GAJDOŠ, Š. - VILAGI, J.: Spin

State of (5247) Krylov. American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #50, 2018,

id.414.10

[3] MARCINIAK, A. - OSZKIEWICZ, D. - TROIANSKYI, V. - FOHRING, D.

- KWIATKOWSKI, T. - SKIFF, B. - GEIER, S. - BORCZYK, W. -

MOSKOWITZ, N. - GALAD, A. - KANKIEWICZ, P. - KLUWAK, T. -

GAJDOŠ, Š. - VILAGI, J. - POLČIC, Ľ. - WILAWER, E.: Investigating V-type

asteroids outside Vesta family. EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019, held 15-20

September 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland, id. EPSC-DPS2019-1379

[4] PRAVEC, P. - FATKA, P. - VOKROUHLICKÝ, D. - SCHEIRICH, P. -

ĎURECH, J. - SCHEERES, D. J. - KUŠNIRÁK, P. - HORNOCH, K. - GALÁD,

A. - PRAY, D. P. - KRUGLY, YU. N. - BURKHONOV, O. - EHGAMBERDIEV,

SH. A. - POLLOCK, J. - MOSKOVITZ, N. - THIROUIN, A. - ORTIZ, J. L. -

MORALES, N. - HUSÁRIK, M. - INASARIDZE, R. YA. - OEY, J. -

POLISHOOK, D. - HANUŠ, J. - KUČÁKOVÁ, H. - VRAŠTIL, J. - VILÁGI, J.

- GAJDOŠ, Š. - KORNOŠ, L. - VEREŠ, P. - GAFTONYUK, N. M. -

HROMAKINA, T. - SERGEYEV, A. V. - SLYUSAREV, I. G. - AYVAZIAN,

V. R. - COONEY, W. R. - GROSS, J. - TERRELL, D. - COLAS, F. - VACHIER,

F. - SLIVAN, S. - SKIFF, B. - MARCHIS, F. - ERGASHEV, K. E. - KIM,

D.-H. - AZNAR, A. - SERRA-RICART, M. - BEHREND, R. - ROY, R. -

MANZINI, F. - MOLOTOV, I. E.: Asteroid pairs: A complex picture. Icarus,

2019, Volume 333, p. 429-463.

[5] MATLOVIČ, P. – TÓTH, J. – RUDAWSKA, R. – KORNOŠ, L. -

PISARČÍKOVÁ A.: Spectral and orbital survey of medium-sized meteoroids,

A&A 629, A71 (2019)

[6] ŠILHA, J. - KRAJČOVIČ, S. - ZIGO, M. - ŽILKOVÁ, D. - ZIGO, P. -

ŠIMON, J. - TÓTH, J. - KORNOŠ, L. - SETTY, S. - FLOHRER, T. - JILETE,

B.: Development of the Slovak 70-cm Optical Passive System Dedicated to Space

Debris Tracking on LEO to GEO orbits, Proceedings of the Advanced Maui

Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference, held in Wailea, Maui,

Hawaii, September 17-20, 2019, Ed.: S. Ryan, The Maui Economic Development

Board, id.85

In the Earth Science Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava

and Hurbanovo, a number of issues concerning space weather were investigated

and ground magnetic field measurements were performed.

Theoretical studies were devoted in particular to the mechanisms of severe

magnetic stoms with the use of historical magnetograms recorded long time

before the space age. Owing to geomagnetically induced currents, extreme mid-

latitude geomagnetic disturbances might cause serious damages to some

vulnerable technological systems. A part of the space weather research has

therefore to be focused on deeper understanding of the origins and mechanisms

of these phenomena. In [1], three cases of mid-latitude geomagnetic variations

are presented. One of them is a typical mid-latitude magnetic storm. The other

two cases then represent a phenomenon, which is well known in polar and sub-

polar regions; however, it is less common in mid-latitudes. As this phenomenon

can sometimes be very intensive also at mid-latitudes and it can exhibit rapid

temporal changes of the geomagnetic field, it must not be underestimated. In [2],

the extreme magnetic storms are discussed to possibly caused be auroral

ionospheric currents or electric currents parallel to magnetic induction lines. The

study relies on magnetic observations storms from the modern digital era and also

uses the historical magnetograms.

Recently, a new insight into the mechanism of the Carrington magnetic storm

was published, which identified the field aligned currents as the main cause of

this well-known event. The new idea seems to be a promising alternative to the

generally accepted theory, in which the ring current is the main cause of the low-

and mid-latitude magnetic storms. In [5], some records of rapid mid-latitude

magnetic storms are shown. Most of them were recorded by historical magnetic

observatories (years 1837, 1848, 1872, 1918). The profiles of the horizontal

component show that, instead ofthe ring current, the substorm-related current

system probably played an important role in the development of these interesting

geomagnetic variations.

Historical magnetograms recorded in Clementinum (Prague) and reported

previously in yearbooks were collected and prepared for future applications [3].

Daily magnetic observations at the Prague Astronomical Observatory started 180

years ago, on 1st July 1839. The observatory was equipped with standardized

instruments developed by Gauss and Weber at Observatory of Goettingen. The

observations were carried out manually, at the beginning the measurements were

performed more than ten times per day but later the number of the daily

observations decreased to five. Having been a part of Goettingen Magnetic Union,

however, the sampling interval of readings from magnetometers was shortened to

5 minutes during appointed days. Even more dense measurements were carried

out during periods of strong magnetic disturbances. As the results were printed in

yearbooks Magnetische und meteorologische Beobachtungen zu Prag, no

measured data were lost. Absolute measurements reported in the yearbooks are

sufficient for reliable reduction of declination. The Prague series of annual means

of declination is the longest continuous series in the 19th century. The data are thus

fully reliable for the study of geomagnetic activity and space weather applications,

which will be demonstrated for a remarkable geomagnetic event recorded in

Prague on 17th November 1848.

Figure 2.4. The variations of the horizontal intensity and declination that were recorded at the

Clementinum observatory on 17 November 1848. The additional time axis at the top of the

figure shows the magnetic local time (MLT).

Some recent studies point out that currents related to the auroral oval,

electrojets and field aligned currents (FACs), are serious candidates for the

mechanism of the intense mid-latitude magnetic storms. It is interesting to re-

analyse historical data under the light of this modern knowledge. In this aim, two

intense magnetic storms are analysed in [4] that were recorded by observatories

Clementinum (Prague) and Greenwich on 17 November 1848 and 4 February

1872, respectively. The latter has been marked as an extraordinary event by

several authors, in particular in connection with auroras. The former (Fig.2.4.),

however, has been little known in the space weather community. Both these

events possessed swift and extensive variations of the horizontal (H) component

(>400 nT and >500 nT, respectively) and were accompanied by auroras sighted

at very low magnetic latitudes. This implies that the auroral oval on the north

hemisphere was vastly extended southward. The variations of the magnetic

declination also indicate that during these events the auroral oval was situated at

magnetic latitudes lower than those of the observatories. The storms studied in

this paper occurred at different magnetic local times (MLTs), ~23 MLT (Fig 2.5.)

and ~19 MLT. Therefore, they might represent mid-latitude events related to

different parts of the auroral oval. In this paper, the H-variation recorded at

Clementinum in 1848 is interpreted to be a substorm due to the ionospheric

substorm electrojet. The Greenwich event registered in 1872 then seems to be a

combination of the ring-current storm with a positive variation of the H-

component caused by the eastward electrojet. Both the events of 1848 and 1872

appear to exemplify phenomena that are common in high magnetic latitudes but

which may occasionally happen also at mid-latitudes.

Figure 2.5. The schematic sketch of the conditions of the Clementinum observatory during the

magnetic storm on 17 November 1848. The circles with dots in their centres indicate the

location of the upward FAC, the circle with a cross mark the position of the downward FAC.

The intensity of the electric currents is expressed by means of the boldness of the markers. The

dashed lines represent the lines of force of the magnetic field generated by the FACs. The ΔD

sign stands for the deviation of the magnetic declination. It is supposed that the substorm

electrojet then flowed at a magnetic latitude which was lower than the magnetic latitude of

Clementinum.

Hurbanovo Geomagnetic Observatory of the Earth Science Institute of the

SAS, is located at geographical latitude 47.87° and geographical longitude 18.18°.

It performs continuous monitoring and registration of the geomagnetic field

components. The one-minute mean values of all components of the geomagnetic

field as well as the records acquired with the one-second sampling interval are

available. K-indexes characterising the geomagnetic activity in the middle

latitudes are computed regularly. Main equipment of the observatory includes the

digital variometer station TPM made in Poland (1996) and magnetoregistration

device DI-fluxgate Magson gained on the co-operation bases withGeo Forshung

Zentrum Potsdam and VW Stiftung. For absolute geomagnetic measurements, the

DI-fluxgate magnetometer and proton precession magnetometer ELSEC are

employed. The magnetovariational data in the one-minute step are supplied via

the internet to the INTERMAGNET centre. The data are sent to World Data

Centers in Edinburgh and Paris, from where they are available for the whole

geomagnetic and space weather community. The data are published also on the

CD-ROMs prepared in the frame of INTERMAGNET. That is beacuse the

Hurbanovo Geomagnetic Observatory of the Earth Science Institute of the SAS is

a member of INTERMAGNET, the international network of world first order

magnetic observatories. Information about the geomagnetic activity is also

published on the web site of the observatory, www.geomag.sk. The level of the

geomagnetic activity si reported to public media (TV), too.

The members of the Hurbanovo Geomagnetic Observatory staff regularly

perform field measurements at the observation points of the national magnetic

repeat station network, which is a part of the European repeat station network.

The measurements are coordinated by the MagNetE Group. Measurements of the

magnetic declination are performed regularly at selected Slovak airports.

The knowledge of the distribution of the geomagnetic field elements over a

country is important for many practical as well as scientific reasons. Such

distributions result from magnetic surveys. The surveys need to be repeated

periodically: two-year period has been agreed for repeat stations by the MagNetE

Group. This periodicity enables to find out information about the magnetic secular

variations. The last repeat station survey was carried out in Slovakia in 2018.

References:

[1] VALACH, F. - VÁCZYOVÁ, M. Extrémne magnetické poruchy v

pozorovaniach Hurbanovského observatória. In Zborník. X. medzinárodnej

vedeckej konferencie Univerzity J. Selyeho. Webové aplikácie vo vzdelávaní.

Komárno: Univerzita J. Selyeho, 2018, s. 78-85. ISBN 978-80-8122-251-1.

[2] VALACH, F. - HEJDA, P. - REVALLO, M. - BOCHNÍČEK, J. Aký je

mechanizmus extrémnych magnetických porúch v stredných šírkach. In

DOROTOVIČ, Ivan. Zborník referátov z 24. celoštátneho slnečného seminára,

Kežmarok 2018. - Hurbanovo: Slovenská ústredná hvezdáreň Hurbanovo, 2018,

ISBN 978-80-89998-01-2.

[3] HEJDA, P. - VALACH, F. - REVALLO, M. What can be learned from

geomagnetic observations at Prague Observarory (1839-1917): abstract:

IUGG19-0281. In 27th IUGG General Assembly-Assemblée Générale de

L´UGGI: abstracts. - Montreal: IUGG General Assembly, 2019.

[4] VALACH, F. - HEJDA, P. - REVALLO, M. - BOCHNÍČEK, J. Possible role

of auroral oval-related currents in two intense magnetic storms recorded by old

mid-latitude observatories Clementinum and Greenwich. In Journal of Space

Weather and Space Climate, 2019, vol. 9, p. A11.

[5] VALACH, F. - HEJDA, P. - BOCHNÍČEK, J. - REVALLO, M. -

VÁCZYOVÁ, M. Rapid mid-latitude magnetic storms recorded by old

observatories. In Conrad Observatory Journal: IAGA Workshop 2018, 2019,

special issue no. 5, p. 38.

In the Slovak Central Observatory (SCO) in Hurbanovo (http://www.suh.sk),

a number of activities related to space research were performed. We observed

sunspots (the Wolf number data were submitted to the SILSO in Brussels,

Belgium and to the SONNE Netz in Germany) and prominences (images are

published at the website of the Observatory). We performed also spectrographic

observations of the solar spectrum (variations of selected spectral lines during a

solar activity cycle) using a horizontal solar telescope with spectrograph, we

registered solar radio bursts using a solar radio spectrometer CALLISTO and

impact of solar flares on the Earth’s ionosphere using a SID monitor. The research

activities comprise study of the:

- differential rotation of the solar corona, automatic detection and tracking of

the sunspots and the coronal bright points,

- automatic detection of the chromospheric plages,

- asymmetry of the north and south hemispheric solar activity.

One researcher from the SCO is the national ISWI (International Space

Weather Initiative, http://iswi-secretariat.org) coordinator for the Slovak

Republic and since September 2014 he is also as a Scientific Discipline

Representative of the SCOSTEP for the field of solar physics. He is member of

the National Committee of the SCOSTEP and chair and representative to the

COSPAR.

We continued to publish at the website of the SCO data on the modified coronal

index (MCI) and the modified homogeneous data set (MHDS) of coronal

intensities based on satellite EUV measurements as a replacement of ground-

based coronagraphic observations at Lomnický Štít. Both the MCI and the MHDS

data sets can be used further for studies of the coronal solar activity and its cycle.

These data are available at http://www.suh.sk/online-data/modifikovany-

koronalny-index and http://www.suh.sk/online-data/modifikovany-homogenny-

rad, respectively.

In the Computer Intelligence Group (CA3) of the CTS/UNINOVA (Caparica,

Portugal) has been developed in previous years a software tool for automatic

tracking of solar activity features (sunspots and coronal bright points - CBPs)

using a hybrid algorithm combining PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization) and

Snake algorithms and recently an image segmentation algorithm, respectively, for

detecting and tracking of a feature, and determining the differential rotation of the

Sun. In [1] we applied a segmentation algorithm called Gradient Path Labelling

(GPL), used originally to identify drusens in medical retinal images, to detect and

track the coronal bright points (CBPs) using images from the AIA instrument

onboard the SDO satellite. Individual measurements of rotational velocity in

respect to latitude are depicted in Fig. 2.6. The CBPs have a tendency to change

shape and size along time, to disappear and reappear at a corresponding

heliographic position, therefore, decision trees were also included in the tracking

solution. Since our CBP detection algorithm uses an active region mask to filter

out the CBPs, whose centroid is inside the active regions, the number of

identifications clearly depends on the level of solar activity. Our approach uses

the commonly applied fitting relation to the latitudinal dependence of the

rotational velocity, which resulted in calculation of the optimum fit parameters as

well as the Gegenbauer orthogonal polynomial.

Another segmentation algorithm for automatic detection of CBPs developed

using SunPy and OpenCV in Python is described in [2] (Fig. 2.7). An automatic

tool to detect coronal holes (CHs) and to determine solar differential rotation

using CBPs inside and outside the CHs, respectively, is being developed in the

CTS/UNINOVA-CA3 group.

In the SCO we developed also an alternative software tool to estimate the solar

rotational profile based on cross-correlation (CC) method [3]. Rotational velocity

was calculated for each day in the years 2011 – 2018 from CC maxima of two

consecutive SDO/AIA images with a cadence of 30 minutes taken through the

21.1 nm filter, in a window of 6° in heliographic longitude and 69° in heliographic

latitude (241 x 2761 pxs). It was performed only in the rows where the CC

maximum was higher than 0.5 (Fig. 2.8). The calculation of



was repeated

separately for rows that intersect a CBP and for rows without the contribution of

a CBP, respectively. We call these background rows BCGs (Fig. 2.9).

In collaboration with the Observatório Geofísico e Astronómico da

Universidade de Coimbra (OGAUC, Coimbra, Portugal) we developed new

algorithms to detect and track solar activity features, chromospheric plages as test

features. The Ca II K3 spectroheliograms registered in the OGAUC were used to

investigate the evolution of the chromospheric plages activity during the 24th solar

cycle. Research team of the OGAUC created a special tool based on the

segmentation by watershed method combined with other mathematic

morphological operators to detect automatically and analyse the plages and/or

other solar features. Several procedures are applied to achieve the automatic

detection (top-hat transform, hole filling, tresholding, watershed operation,

gradient operation which allows to obtain contours of plage regions). One of the

great potentialities of using mathematical morphology is its power to deal with

the geometry of complex and irregular shapes. More, north-south asymmetry of

the solar activity can be studied using this tool. The results were published in [4]

(Fig. 2.10).

Figure 2.6. Individual measurements of rotational velocity in respect to latitude. Thick solid

black line indicates the best fit to these values using the relation



(b) = A + B sin2(b) + C

sin4(b), where



is the rotational velocity and the b is the latitude. Thin dotted black lines mark

the fit uncertainty using the 1-sigma of the A, B, C parameters. The equatorial rotational

velocity is 14°/day. Rotational profiles derived by other authors are showed for comparison.

Figure 2.7. Illustrative result of the segmentation process using the Python tool for detection

of CBPs in the 19.3 nm SDO/AIA image.

Figure 2.8. Rotational profile as derived using the CC method, where squares mark the mean

values in 5° sectors and the solid line is the best fit of these values.

Figure 2.9. Profile of sidereal rotation velocity showing BCG data (circles) and CBP data

(crosses). Solid lines show approximations, for o:



= 12.183– sin2 b – 1.955 sin4 b and for +:



= 14.642 – 3.185 sin2 b – 0:304 sin4 b.

(a) (b) (c)

(d) (e) (f)

Figure 2.10. HMI SDO images showing the polarity of magnetic field: a) original image

acquired on 3 September 2011; b) original image acquired on 10 August 2012; c) original

image acquired on 10 May 2014; d) facular regions of the image of Figure (a); e) facular

regions of image of the Figure (b) and f) facular regions of the image of Figure (c).

The SCO organised in the year 2018 the 24th National Solar Physics Meeting

with participation from abroad. The goal of the Meeting was to present new results

of solar physics and from the field of the space weather (Sun-Earth connections),

to provide overview of present status in selected fields of solar physics,

geophysics, meteorology, and climatology. A separate space was devoted to the

presentation of research results of undergraduate and PhD students of university

and academic departments and also to results of scientific and popularisation

activities of Astronomical Observatories in the Slovak Republic and the Czech

Republic. Invited talks, short contributions and posters covered the following

fields: physical phenomena in the solar atmosphere, solar activity, total solar

eclipses, space weather, geoactivity, meteorological events with solar forcing.

References:

[1] DOROTOVIČ I. - COELHO A. - RYBÁK J. - MORA A. - RIBEIRO R.A.

(2018). Gradient Path Labelling Method and Tracking Method for Calculation of

Solar Differential Rotation using Coronal Bright Points, Astronomy and

Computing, Vol. 25, pp.168-175. doi: 10.1016/j.ascom.2018.09.008

[2] DOROTOVIČ I. - COELHO A. - RYBÁK J. - MORA A. - RIBEIRO R.A. -

KUSA W. (2018). Solar Differential Rotation Profile Estimation using Coronal

Bright Points Data Derived from the SDO/AIA Images, Sun and Geosphere,

Vol.13, no.2, p.129-133. doi: 10.31401/SunGeo.2018.02.02

[3] DOROTOVIČ I. - RYBANSKÝ M. (2019). Rotation of Some Solar Coronal

Bright Features as Derived from the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric

Imaging Array (SDO/AIA) 21.1 nm Images (for the Years 2011 - 2018), Solar

Physics, Vol. 294, Issue 8, article id. 109, 9 pp. doi: 10.1007/s11207-019-1501-z.

[4] BARATA T. - CARVALHO S. - DOROTOVIČ I. - PINHEIRO F.J.G. -

GARCIA A. - FERNANDES J. - LOURENÇO A.M. (2018). Software tool for

automatic detection of solar plages in the Coimbra Observatory

spectroheliograms, Astronomy and Computing, Vol. 24, s. 70-83.

doi: 10.1016/j.ascom.2018.06.003.

The activities of the Astronomical Institute of the Slovak Academy of

Sciences (AISAS), Tatranská Lomnica (http://www.astro.sk), related to COSPAR,

were devoted to research in stellar, solar, and interplanetary physics using

different satellite observations, mainly in the UV, XUV and X-ray spectral

regions. Stellar data of the XMM-Newton, MOST, and Kepler satellites, including

the HST were used for research of various variable stars and start hosting

exoplanets [2-8]. Data of the current SDO, IRIS, STEREO, ACE, and other

satellites were used for solar research mostly focused on solar prominences and

flares. In common, these data were used with the simultaneously acquired data by

the ground-based solar telescopes [9-15]. Topic of the interstellar particles has

been also addressed [1]. Hereby we present some examples of the results obtained

by the AISAS staff.

Observations carried out with the space observatories, the European Space

Agency's (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) and the Hubble

Space Telescope (HST), were used to model the spectral energy distribution

(SED) of the classical nova V339 Delphini, which exploded on August 14, 2013

(= nova age 0) [8]. Using our original method of multiwavelength modeling the

nova spectrum, we revealed new striking results: (i) At the nova age of 35 days,

the WD photosphere was oblate in poles and a slow equatorially concentrated

mass-outflow contained dust grains. (ii) From day 35 to 72, the nova significantly

stopped-down the mass-outflow. (iii) On day 100, the co-existence of the strong

dust emission and the luminous high-temperature WD confirmed the disk-like

formation around the WD, where the dust can spend a long time. (iv) Our

modeling revealed highly super-Eddington luminosity of the burning WD lasting,

at least, for the first 100 days of the nova life. Fig. 2.11. shows a sketch for the

nova ejecta as can be inferred from our SED models on days 35 and 100. This

finding represents a new challenge for theoretical modeling of the nova

phenomenon.

The X8.2-class solar flare SOL2017-09-10T16:06 ranks as the second most

energetic flare in the solar cycle 24. This major eruptive event happened at the

western solar limb and triggered a very fast coronal mass ejection followed by

significant space weather and heliospheric effects including a solar energetic

particles event detected also as ground level enhancement. The flare displayed an

extended arcade of flare loops, being detected in the range of temperatures from

X-rays down to cool chromospheric-like plasmas. While hot flare loops with

temperatures of 106 – 107 K were observed in the EUV channels of the

Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (Fig. 2.12) aboard the Solar Dynamics

Observatory (SDO/AIA), cool loops with temperatures of 104 K were captured by

two UV SDO/AIA channels and also by the ground-based Swedish Solar

Telescope (SST) which made a series of spectral and spectropolarimetric images

of the cool off-limb loops in the spectral line of single ionized calcium Ca II 8542

Å and the hydrogen Balmer line Hβ at 4861 Å (Fig. 2.12.). The article by Kuridze

et al. (2019) [12] reports on inferring the magnetic field strengths of the cool flare

loops using the weak-field approximation applied to the Stokes I and V profiles

of the Ca II 8542 Å line. The analysis reveals coronal magnetic field strengths as

high as 350 G at heights up to 25 Mm above the solar limb. These measurements

Figure 2.11. Left: Observed spectrum of the nova V339 Del (in magenta) and its model (black

line). The model consists of the radiation from the WD (blue line), nebula (green) and dust

(gray). Right: Sketch for nova ejecta. The WD pseudophotosphere is in dark-blue, stellar wind

in light-blue, equatorially concentrated outflow with dust in yellow with gray strips and bow

shocks as orange lines. The white array represents stopping-down the wind from the WD

indicated on day 100 of the nova age.

Figure 2.12. SDO/AIA 171 Å and 304 Å images (top panels) of the X8.2 class solar flare loops

on 2017 September 10, 16:29 UT co-aligned with SST/CHROMIS Hβ line core (bottom left

panel) and the composite of Hβ wing images at ± 0.735 Å (bottom right panel).

are substantially higher than a number of previous estimates and may have

considerable implications for our current understanding of the extended solar

atmosphere.

How much of the dust population originates locally in the solar system and

how much comes from beyond? How big is the probability that an interstellar

meteoroid passing through the solar system will hit the Earth? How are the speed

measurements by which interstellar meteoroids are identified affected by the

uncertainties of the statistical treatment or measurement errors? These problems

and the presence of a large number of meteoroid orbits determined as hyperbolic

in meteor databases has led to meteor astronomers who deal with particles

registered in the Earth's atmosphere from AISAS and scientists who work with

the dust measured on detectors on board of the space probes working together.

The results, summarized in the chapter „Interstellar Meteoroids“, in a book

published by Cambridge University Press in 2019 [1], showed that, except for two

macroscopic interstellar objects, the only dependable detection of interstellar

particles in our solar system to date are the measurements of interstellar dust

originating from the Local Interstellar Cloud. Not a single case of a meteor

claimed to be produced by an interstellar particle has proven satisfactorily

convincing and not one interstellar fireball has yet been reported.

Researchers from AISAS carried out follow-up observations of targets from

the K2 mission and discovered a unique object, a chemically peculiar Ap-type star

showing δ Scuti pulsations that is bound in an eclipsing binary system with an

orbital period shorter than 3 d [7]. HD 99458 is therefore a complex astrophysical

laboratory opening doors for studying various, often contradictory, physical

phenomena at the same time. It is the first Ap star ever discovered in an eclipsing

binary. The orbital period of 2.722 d is the second shortest among all known

chemically peculiar (CP2) binary stars. Pulsations of δ Scuti type are also

extremely rare among CP2 stars and no unambiguously proven candidate has been

reported. HD 99458 was formerly thought to be a star hosting an exoplanet, but

we definitely reject this hypothesis using photometric observations from the K2

mission and new radial velocity measurements.

Besides of this, the AISAS staff was involved (or leading) in the last two years

in 4 coordinated observing campaigns focused on observations of several aspects

of the solar activity. The integral part of campaigns were also measurements

performed by the space-born instruments on different satellites, e.g. IRIS, SDO.

The measurements were coordinated with the ground-based instruments including

the AISAS owned CoMP-S and SCD instruments at the Lomnicky Peak

Observatory.

References:

[1] HAJDUKOVÁ, M., Jr. - STERKEN, V. - WIEGERT, P. Interstellar

meteoroids. Meteoroids: Sources of Meteors on Earth and Beyond. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press, 2019, p. 235-252.

[2] GAJDOŠ, P. - VAŇKO, M. - PRIBULLA, T. - DUPKALA, D. - ŠUBJAK, J.

- SKARKA, M. - KABÁTH, P. - HAMBÁLEK, Ľ. - PARIMUCHA, Š. Transit

timing variations, radial velocities, and long-term dynamical stability of the

system Kepler-410. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2019,

vol. 484, no. 3, p. 4352-4359.

[3] GAJDOŠ, P. - VAŇKO, M. - JAKUBÍK, M. - EVANS, P. - BRETTON, M. -

MOLINA, D. - FERRATFIAT, S. - GIRARDIN, E. - GUDMUNDSSON, S. -

SCAGGIANTE, F. -PARIMUCHA, Š. WASP-92, WASP-93, and WASP-118:

transit timing variations and long-term stability of the systems. Monthly Notices

of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2019, vol. 485, no. 3, p. 3580-3587

[4] GAJDOŠ, P. - VAŇKO, M. - PARIMUCHA, Š. Transit timing variations and

linear ephemerides of confirmed Kepler transiting exoplanets. Research in

Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2019, vol. 19, no. 3, article no. 41, p. 1-6

[5] HAMBÁLEK, Ľ. - VAŇKO, M. - PAUNZEN, E. -SMALLEY, B. T Tauri stars

in SuperWASP and NSVS surveys. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical

Society,2019, vol. 483, no. 2, p. 1642-1654.

[6] PAUNZEN, E. - HANDLER, G. - WALCZAK, P. -HUMMERICH, S. -

NIEMCZURA, E. - KALLINGER, T. - WEISS,W.W. - BERNHARD, K. -

FEDURCO, M. - GÜTL-WALLNER, A. - MATTHEWS, J.M. - PRIBULLA, T.

- VAŇKO, M. - WALLNER, S. - RÓZANSKI, T. A revisit to the enigmatic

variable star 21 Comae. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,

2019, vol. 485, no. 3, p. 4247-4259

[7] SKARKA, M. - KABÁTH, P. - PAUNZEN, E. - FEDURCO, M. - BUDAJ, J.

- DUPKALA, D. - KRTIČKA, J. - HATZES, A. - PRIBULLA, T. -

PARIMUCHA, Š. - MIKULÁŠEK, Z. - GUENTHER, E. - SABOTTA, S. -

BLAŽEK, M. - DVOŘÁKOVÁ, J. - HAMBÁLEK, Ľ. - KLOCOVÁ, T. -

KOLLÁR, V. - KUNDRA, E. - ŠLECHTA, M. - VAŇKO, M. HD 99458: First

time ever Ap-type star as a delta Scuti pulsator in a short period eclipsing binary?

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2019, vol. 487, no. 3, p.

4230-4237.

[8] SKOPAL, A. Multiwavelength modeling of the SED of Nova V339 Del:

Stopping the wind and long-lasting super-Eddington luminosity with dust

emission. The Astrophysical Journal, 2019, vol. 878, no. 1, article no. 28,p. 1-18.

[9] DORAN, D.J. - DALLA, S. - ZELINA, P. Temporal evolution of heavy-ion

spectra in solar energetic particle events. Solar Physics, 2019, vol. 294, no. 5,

article no. 55, p. 1-26.

[10] HERNANDEZ-PEREZ, A. - SU, Y. - VERONIG, A. -THALMANN, J.K. -

GÖMÖRY, P. - JOSHI, B. Pre-eruption processes: Heating, particle acceleration,

and the formation of a hot channel before the 2012 October 20 M9.0 limb flare.

The Astrophysical Journal, 2019, vol. 874, no. 2, article no. 122, p. 1-11.

[11] KOZA, J. - KURIDZE, D. - HEINZEL, P. - JEJČIČ, S. -MORGAN, H. -

ZAPIÓR, M. Spectral diagnostics of cool flare loops observed by the SST. I.

Inversion of the Ca II 8542 A and H-beta lines. The Astrophysical Journal, 2019,

vol. 885, no. 2, article no. 154, p. 1-13.

[12] KURIDZE, D. - MATHIOUDAKIS, M. - MORGAN, H. - OLIVER, R. -

KLEINT, L. - ZAQARASHVILI, T. V. - REID, A. - KOZA, J. - LOFDAHL, M.

G. - HILLBERG, T. - KUKHIANIDZE, V. - HANSLMEIER, A. Mapping the

magnetic field of flare coronal loops. The Astrophysical Journal, 2019, vol. 874,

no. 2, article no. 126, p. 1-12.

[13] SCHWARTZ, P. - GUNÁR, S. - JENKINS, J. M. - LONG, D. M. -

HEINZEL, P. - CHOUDHARY, D. P. 2D non-LTE modelling of a filament

observed in the H alpha line with the DST/IBIS spectropolarimeter. Astronomy

and Astrophysics, 2019, vol. 631, aricle no. A146, p. 1-12.

[14] VERONIG, A. - GÖMÖRY, P. -DISSAUER, K. - TEMMER, M. -

VANNINATHAN, K. Spectroscopy and differential emission measure diagnostics

of a coronal dimming associated with a fast halo CME. The Astrophysical Journal,

2019, vol. 879, no. 2, article no. 85, p. 1-11.

[15] ZEMANOVÁ, A. - DUDÍK, J. - AULANIER, G. - THALMANN, J.K. -

GÖMÖRY, P. Observations of a footpoint drift of an erupting flux rope. The

Astrophysical Journal, 2019, vol. 883, no. 1, article no. 96, p. 1-13.

3. LIFE SCIENCES

M. Musilová

Life sciences research in Slovakia, within the space sector, is primarily

performed by the Slovak Organisation for Space Activities (SOSA) and at the

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology of the Slovak

University of Technology in Bratislava (FEI STU), in collaboration with multiple

Slovak and international partners. It is primarily focused on astrobiology and

human space exploration. From an astrobiological perspective, researchers and

students at SOSA and FEI STU study life in extreme environments

(extremophiles) as analogue organisms for the lifeforms that we could potentially

find on other celestial bodies. Part of the research projects focus on the

degradation of biological molecules when exposed to the harsh conditions in the

stratosphere, such as DNA and cell membranes. This is performed by taking

biological samples into the stratosphere using stratospheric balloons developed

by SOSA. SOSA and FEI also have various instruments that can be used to

simulate the atmospheric pressure, temperatures and vacuum at different altitudes.

Extremophiles have also been studied by SOSA and FEI STU in extreme

conditions, such as on the glaciers in Svalbard and within lava tubes on volcanoes

in Hawaii. The former project was based on a collaboration with the University

of South Bohemia (Czech Republic) and the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the

Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia). A team from SOSA studied two

different environments in Svalbard, from an ecological, geological and

microbiological perspective and their relevance to extraterrestrial conditions.

Biochemical and genetic analyses were performed on the samples by high school

and university students in Slovakia for educational and outreach purposes.

Students have been studying the survival of these extremophiles in different

simulated planetary conditions and they have used them for their bachelors and

masters projects.

Regarding the human space exploration research, a member of SOSA and visiting

professor at FEI STU has been selected to take part as a Commander of multiple

simulated missions to the Moon and Mars in Hawaii, funded by NASA and ESA.

The research has been focused on both testing the scientific and technological

research that needs to be performed so that humans can return to the Moon and

explore Mars one day. Furthermore, the missions are also aiming to determine

what the ideal types of crewmembers are to send on long duration missions into

space. For these reasons, the missions try to recreate the difficulties and extreme

circumstances of long duration space missions. Then, they assess the performance

of each of the crewmembers individually and how they work as a team together.

These particular missions take place at the Hawaii - Space Exploration Analog

and Simulation (HI-SEAS) habitat, which is located at 2,500 meters in elevation

on the active volcano Mauna Loa, on the Big Island of Hawaii. As of 2018, the

International Moonbase Alliance (IMA), an organization dedicated to building

sustainable settlements on the Moon, has been organizing regular simulated

missions to the Moon and Mars at HI-SEAS. The constraints for these missions

depend on which celestial body the mission is simulating to be on. For instance,

for lunar missions the time delay in communications is only of a few seconds, in

comparison to the 20 minute one way delay imposed on communications with

Mars. The crews are supported by a Mission Control Centre based on the Big

Island of Hawaii as well.

In 2019, the EuroMoonMars IMA HI-SEAS (EMMIHS) campaign was

launched at HI-SEAS, bringing together researchers from ESA, IMA, the

International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG), European Space

Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), VU Amsterdam and many other

international organizations. During this campaign, two crews spent two weeks

each at HI-SEAS in 2019, performing research relevant to both the Moon and

Mars there. The campaign aims to increase the awareness about the research and

technology testing that can be performed in analogue environments, in order to

help humans become multiplanetary species. Furthermore, the research and

technological experiments conducted at HI-SEAS are going to be used to help

build a Moon base in Hawaii, and ultimately to create an actual Moon base on the

Moon, as part of IMA’s major goals. An example of one of Slovak outreach

experiments on the EMMIHS I mission was a biology project designed by high

school students in Slovakia, as part of a nationwide competition organized by a

member of SOSA and visiting professor at FEI STU. It focused on fertilizing soils

to grow plants on using human hair from the crewmembers during an analogue

mission. Slovak hardware has also been tested at HI-SEAS during missions, such

as the RoboTech Vision rover.

Additionally, SOSA and FEI STU representatives regularly present about the

life sciences research projects that they are working on at multiple international

conferences, including the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) run by the

International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and the Europlanet Science

Congress (EPSC). A member of SOSA and visiting professor at FEI STU is also

a reviewer for the NASA Planetary Protection Research Program and many other

grant programs and research journals in life sciences, such as Astrobiology and

the National Science Foundation. They are an Adjunct Faculty of the International

Space University as well, where they lecture and organise workshops in

astrobiology and the exploration of the Moon and Mars.

References:

[1] MUSILOVÁ, M. - ROGERS, H. - FOING, B. (2019) Analogue research performed

at the HI-SEAS research station in Hawaii. Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU

General Assembly 2019, Vol. 21, EGU2019

[2] MUSILOVÁ, M. - ROGERS, H. - FOING, B. - SIRIKAN, N. - WEERT, A. -

MULDER, S. - POTHIER, B. - BURSTEIN, J. (2019) EMM IMA HI-SEAS campaign

February 2019. EPSC Abstracts, EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019, Vol. 13, EPSC-

DPS2019

[3] ROGERS, H. - MUSILOVÁ, M. - FOING, B. (2019) International MoonBase

Alliance: Goals and Update. EPSC Abstracts, EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019, Vol.

13, EPSC-DPS2019

[4] ROGERS, H. - MUSILOVÁ, M. (2019) How to Live Sustainably on the Moon.

Proceedings of the 70th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) by the

International Astronautical Federation (IAF), 21-25 October 2019 in Washington DC,

USA. Paper IAC-19,A3,2C,11,x52856

[5] SIRIKAN, N. - FOING, B. - MUSILOVÁ, M. - WEERT, A. - POTHIER, B. -

BURSTEIN, J. - MULDER, S. - COX, A. - ROGERS, H. (2019) EuroMoonMars IMA

HI-SEAS 2019 Campaign: An Engineering Perspective on a Moon Base. Proceedings

of the 70th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) by the International

Astronautical Federation (IAF), 21-25 October 2019 in Washington DC, USA. Paper

IAC-19,A3,2C,9,x54636

[6] BURSTEIN, J. - FOING, B. - MUSILOVÁ, M. - ROGERS, H. - SIRIKAN, N. -

MULDER, S. - WEERT, A. - POTHIER, B. (2019) Messaging on the Human

Condition as Space Residents. Proceedings of the 70th International Astronautical

Congress (IAC) by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), 21-25 October

2019 in Washington DC, USA. Paper IAC-19,A3,2C,9,x54636

[7] WEERT, A. - FOING, B. - MUSILOVÁ, M. (2019). Hydrous alteration of lava

flows on Mauna Loa (Hawaii) compared to Martian volcanic soils. Proceedings of the

50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 18–22 March 2019 in The Woodlands,

Texas. 10.13140/RG.2.2.18931.17448/1.

4. MATERIALS RESEARCH IN SPACE

J. Lapin

Materials research in space at the Institute of Materials and Machine

Mechanics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (IMMS SAS) has not been

performed during the period of 2018 – 2019.

5. REMOTE SENSING

Ľ. Balažovič, I. Barka, T. Bucha, J. Feranec, T. Goga, M. Kopecká, J. Oťaheľ,

J. Pajtík, J. Papčo, P. Pastorek, M. Rusnák, I. Sačkov, M. Sviček, D. Szatmári,

A. Zverková

Selected activities of five institutions are included in this report (2018-2019):

Institute of Geography, Slovak Academy of Sciences (IG SAS) in

Bratislava

Project: Advanced Techniques for Biomass Mapping in Abandoned

Agriculture Land Using Novel Combination of Optical and Radar Remote

Sensing Sensors (ATBIOMAP); under the 2nd call European Space Agency

(ESA) – the Plan for European Cooperating States (PECS) Slovakia, contract No.

4000123812/18/NL/SC (2018-2020): National Forest Centre (prime contractor),

Zvolen, IG SAS (subcontractor); project link: http://atbiomap.nlcsk.org

Results of identification of agricultural abandoned land (AAL) and land

cover (LC)/land use (LU) classes obtained by the computer-assisted

photointerpretation (CAPI) and object-based image analysis (OBIA)

methods

Agricultural land abandonment is a widespread LU change in different parts

of the Earth´s land surface. This phenomenon is especially notable in countries of

Eastern and Central Europe, where the formerly intensively worked farmland has

been abandoned due to the deep social and political change (disintegration of the

deep socialist agrarian policy, accession to the European Union, increased tele-

connections and joining the global markets).

An example of such changes of agricultural land is Slovakia, where the

abandonment of cultural agricultural landscape has been obvious during recent

almost 30 years. It is a phenomenon perceived in this country as a new social and

landscape-ecological problem. It is also a large-scale issue as the unused area

amounts to approximately 435,000 ha representing 18% of total 2,423,478 ha

farmland in the country.

The theme of mapping the AAL and LC/LU classes by satellite Sentinel data,

biomass quantification and its management is covered by this project.

Attached results (Figs. 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4) document the possibilities of the

use of satellite Sentinel data and the CAPI methods, as well as the OBIA in the

process of AAL classes identification in experimental areas of the Podunajská

nížina (PN) lowland and in the Zvolenská kotlina (ZK) basin.

Figure 5.1. AAL and LC/LU classes identified by CAPI method in experimental area PN.

Figure 5.2. AAL and LC/LU classes identified by CAPI method in experimental area ZK.

Figure 5.3. AAL and LC/LU classes identified by OBIA and Random Forest classifier

in experimental are PN.

Figure 5.4. AAL and LC/LU classes identified by OBIA and Random Forest classifier

in experimental are ZK.

Project: Effect of impermeable soil cover on urban climate in the context of

climate change (supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency –

APVV-15-0136); project link:

https://www.vupop.sk/projekty_apvv_15_0136.php

Land cover and its change of Bratislava, Trnava and Žilina for the years

1998, 2007, 2016 obtained by interpretation of satellite data (SPOT, Sentinel

and Formosat)

One of the aims of this project is to document identification and delimitation

of LC/LU classes (Fig. 5.5) and their change (Fig. 5.6) based on Urban Atlas (UA)

data and satellite SPOT, Sentinel and Formosat data in three cities in Slovakia:

the capital Bratislava and two regional centres Trnava and Žilina – functional

urban areas (FUAs; located in different geographical conditions) in the years

1998-2007-2016 and their effect on the temperature change by application of the

MUKLIMO_3 model. This model was used in the APVV-15-0136 project for the

purposes of urban heat island modelling. The largest LC/Lu changes were in

benefit of artificial surfaces in FUAs as demonstrated in Fig. 5.6.

Figure 5.5. Spatial distribution of LC/LU classes in the year 2016.

Figure 5.6. LC/LU changes between 1986 and 2016.

The long-term co-operation of the Institute of Geography SAS in pan-

European projects CORINE land cover (CLC) resulted in 2018 in the book

publishing: Land cover of Slovakia and its change in 1990-2012 (in Slovak),

160 p. Bratislava, Veda.

CLC data became a valuable source of original information for those

interested in knowing the landscape of European countries and its dynamism. This

monograph (Feranec et al. 2018) document more than 20-year development of

Slovakia’s landscape. Individual parts of the monograph describe CLC projects

regarding the application of satellite data. The methodology of the generation of

four data layers, particularly CLC 1990, CLC 2000, CLC 2006 and CLC 2012, as

well as assessments of their precision and generation of three change layers i.e.

CLCC1990-2000, CLCC2000-2006 and CLCC2006-2012 are demonstrated in an

easy-to-follow manner. Time-spatial characteristics about changes of LC for more

than two decades indicate the increasing trend in deforestation, decreasing trend

in forestation, intensification of agriculture, construction of water reservoirs, and

a mixed trend of the developments in urbanisation, and other changes. Part of the

monograph also brings examples of possible solutions to environmental issues in

Slovakia by application of CLC data. The final part is dedicated to a brief outline

of the prospects for tracking the development of LC in Slovakia in the future in

accord with the European activities in this field.

Institute of Geography, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University

in Košice

Project: SURGE: Simulating the cooling effect of urban greenery based on

solar radiation modelling and a new generation of ESA sensors (feasibility

study for the European Space Agency; under the 1st call ESA PECS Slovakia,

contract nr. 4000117034/16/NL/NDe, 2016-2018)

Urban greenery has a considerable effect on cooling the urban environment

during heat waves. It is a dynamic component of the urban land cover which can

be observed by the Sentinel 2 (S2) satellite mission in a higher spatial and

temporal resolution than is enabled by other similar missions. The SURGE

feasibility study aimed to explore the potential of S2 multispectral data in

simulating the cooling effect of urban greenery. The main objective was to define

a methodical approach for spatial modelling of land surface temperature based on

modelling the solar irradiation and parameterizing the land cover properties from

S2 data. While solar irradiation can be precisely calculated on a fine scale using

virtual 3D city models other important parameters for land surface temperature

modelling are difficult to ascertain, such as surface thermal emissivity, broad-

band albedo and evapotranspiration. The approach was tested in an area

comprising 4 sq. km of the central part of the Košice City in Slovakia (Fig. 5.7).

Virtual 3D city model of Košice was generated from airborne lidar and

photogrammetric data acquired in a single mission. A time-series of Sentinel 2

data was gathered to be compared with a reference time-series of terrestrial lidar

(TLS) data of urban greenery on 4 small sites. Statistical linear relationship was

defined between the vegetation metrics derived from S2 and TLS data. A

geobotanical database of urban trees was generated based on field survey.

Algorithmic structure of a toolbox for modelling the land surface temperature in

the open-source GRASS GIS was developed based on the Stefan-Boltzmann law

and Kirchhoff rule. This study demonstrated how Sentinel 2 data can be used for

estimating broad-band albedo, land surface emissivity and solar transmittance of

vegetation. The primary benefits are in the developed algorithm for estimating the

land surface temperature in a GIS environment providing a unique platform (i) for

integrating various kinds of datasets to become usable in urban planning and (ii)

for exploiting the S2 data in mitigation of the urban heat island.

Figure 5.7. Land surface temperature (LST) modelling for a central area of Košice using Sentinel 2,

terrestrial laser scanning data and GIS tools.

Project: APVV-15-0054: Physically based segmentation of georelief and its

geoscience application (research project supported by the Slovak Research and

Development Agency – APVV-15-0054)

Airborne and terrestrial laser scanning and close-range photogrammetry are

frequently used for very high-resolution mapping of land surface. These

techniques require a good strategy of mapping to provide full visibility of all areas

otherwise the resulting data will contain areas with no data (data shadows).

Especially, deglaciated rugged alpine terrain with abundant large boulders,

vertical rock faces and polished roche-moutones surfaces complicated by poor

accessibility for terrestrial mapping are still a challenge. In this project, we present

a novel methodological approach based on a combined use of terrestrial laser

scanning (TLS) and close-range photogrammetry from an unmanned aerial

vehicle (UAV) for generating a high-resolution point cloud and digital elevation

model (DEM) of a complex alpine terrain (Fig. 5.8). The approach is

demonstrated using a small study area in the upper part of a deglaciated valley in

the Tatry Mountains, Slovakia. The more accurate TLS point cloud was

supplemented by the UAV point cloud in areas with insufficient TLS data

coverage. The accuracy of the iterative closest point adjustment of the UAV and

TLS point clouds was in the order of several centimeters but standard deviation

of the mutual orientation of TLS scans was in the order of millimeters. The

generated high-resolution DEM was compared to SRTM DEM, TanDEM-X and

national DMR3 DEM products confirming an excellent applicability in a wide

range of geomorphologic applications (Šašak et al., 2019).

Figure 5.8. A workflow of combining terrestrial lidar and photogrammetric point clouds for DEM

production in rugged alpine topography.

Project: TOKAJGIS: Development of webGIS platform based on big-geodata

for the Tokaj Wine Region foster cross-border collaboration (co-financed by the

EU within the programme INTERREG V-A Slovakia-Hungary, contract nr.

SKHU/1601/4.1/052)

The Tokaj wine region may be considered as a unique area from the point of

view of geography, characterized to a large extent by the wine- and viticulture, as

well as the special mining assets close to the national border and a wide variety

of tourist attractions.

The fundamental idea behind the creation of a joint GIS framework by Pavol

Jozef Šafárik University Košice, Slovakia and Eszterházy Károly Univerity Eger,

Hungary was to support the development of the wine region based on the

integration of basic territorial data and the joint handling of GIS by the two

European member states. Databases with different structures and nomenclature

hamper the processing of the GIS data of the wine region, its integration and the

preparation of mutually advantageous regional development concepts as well as

the transparency of developmental efforts.

The aim of the project was to pool the professional experience of the two

institutions and to facilitate joint learning processes based on specific modular

frameworks in keeping with the character of the wine region. The proposed

system is capable of integrating the GIS databases present on both sides of the

border and various remote sensing data including cutting-edge UAV and laser

scanning technology (Fig. 5.9 and Fig. 5.10). Furthermore, it deepens the remote

sensing skills and knowledge present at the two institutions. The thematic content

of the trilingual GIS framework published on the website can be used as a

validated source of information for wine producers, local government and

administration, local people as well as the participants (both on the demand and

supply side) of tourism. It provides an easily accessible dissemination platform

on which to publish the research results of the area.

Figure 5.9. The interactive website of the project with remote sensing data

https://geografia.science.upjs.sk/webshared/Laspublish/Tokaj/Tokaj.html.

Figure 5.10. Scout B1-100 UAV with the integrated laser scanning payload (A) and hyperspectral

payload (B). A comprises the VUX-1 laser scanner (Riegl, Austria) (a) and the Sony A6000 E-Mount

photo camera (b). The position and orientation of the sensors is precisely monitored by dual GNSS

antennas (c) and an embedded INS unit xNAV550 (Oxford Technical Solutions Ltd., United

Kingdom) for the sensor attitude and position monitoring. B comprises the AISA Kestrel 10

hyperspectral camera (Specim, Finland) (d) and the INS (c)

Activities within the Copernicus Academy

Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice is a member of the Copernicus

Academy network of institutions as the Institute of Geography promotes use of

the Copernicus Services via teaching and research. The Copernicus data are

actively used on practical classes and lectures focusing on Remote Sensing and

Geographic Information Science. We have organized a summer school in July

2018 within the TOKAJGIS project (see above) where the participants were

discussed the benefits of Sentinel 2 and other Earth Observation data in precision

viticulture and farming in general.

National Agricultural and Food Centre - Soil Science and Conservation

Research Institute

Remote sensing control of area-based subsidies in agriculture (2018)

The subsidies play a key role in agriculture sector and contribute to the

prosperity of agricultural subjects. The subsidies to agriculture sector represent

major part of European budget and that is why there is taken an emphasis to the

control.

Slovak Administration decided to have six control sites for the 2018

campaign, defined by 710 km2 ANNA, 225 km2 IRMA, 640 km2 JANA, 260 km2

NORA, 371 km2 OLGA and 486 km2 ZORA (Fig. 5.11). Two sites were covered

by WorldView2 images. Two sites were covered by WorldView3 images and two

sites by GeoEye1 images. Two HR acquisition windows were used: HR-1 and

HR+1.

Figure 5.11. Localization of the controlled sites in campaign 2018.

In 2018 campaign the total number of applicants was 18 611, the number of

dossiers controlled with remote sensing was 1125 (6.04% of all dossiers). The

total area controlled was 123,499.78 hectares, with 6477 reference parcels. There

were 28,526 agricultural parcels to control (in 11 schemes), on average 25

parcels/farmer and 109.78 hectare/ dossier.

To determine the agricultural parcel areas, the parcels were located on the

screen with the help of the reference parcel vectors and its limits validated on the

VHR images (WorldView 2 – 4, GeoEye1 – 2 images). The agriculture parcels

boundaries were taken as vector data from IS Geospatial aid application – IS

GSAA

The Fig. 5.12 shows an example of boundary and land use check. Areas, which

are not subsidised like path or stables, are excluded and coded as C6 – those are

well visible on the VHR image.

Figure 5.12. Example of boundary check and land use on WorldView4 image.

The land use check with multi-temporal HR images (SPOT 6 images) was

made by computer-assisted photointerpretation (CAPI). The images were overlaid

with the digitized vectors showing the position of the parcels which were checked.

The land use check was completed by Rapid field visits RFVs. As a complement

to control vegetation development, the freely available Sentinel2 satellite images

(resolution 10m/ pixel) were used. The satellite images Sentinel 2 are provided by

ESA.

Areas which are cultivated but the crop haven’t emerged properly or were hit

by some disaster like flood or drought have to be proved on more images from

different acquisition windows (Fig. 5.13).

Figure 5.13. Example of land use check on HR images from different acquisition windows.

High resolution (HR) images were corrected to a “master image” – digital

orthophotomaps with a ground sample distance 0.5 m and declared 1.5 m

RMSExy. Ground control points for VHR images were determined from field

survey – post-processed GPS measurement with the use of Slovak spatial

observation system. Ground control points were represented by well defined

points in the build-up area (crossings, path edges in the cemeteries, around the

houses).

The purpose of the remote-sensing control is to check the area and land use of

the agricultural parcels in the dossier. The CAPI is used for checking the area

claimed and generally the land use. The CAPI has been adjusted to the annual

conditions of the regulations of subsidy schemes.

The 2017 campaign is based on Common Technical Specification for the 2018

Campaign of On-The-Spot-checks and area measurement according to art. 24-27,

art. 30, 31 and 34-41 of Regulation (EU) No 809/2014 as amended by Regulation

(EU) 2015/2333 (http://marswiki.jrc.ec.europa.eu) and also is based on agreement

of delegated activities between APA SR and NAFC – SSCRI.

According to the final diagnosis, which summarizes the diagnoses of the

conformity and completeness tests at dossier level, 401 (35.64%) dossiers were

accepted for Single area payment scheme, 2 (0.17%) for payment for agri-

environment – climate action, 89 (7.91%) for area facing natural constraints, 361

(32.08%) for Complementary National Direct Payment scheme, 3 (0.26%)no

dossier for payments on organic farming, 58 (5.15 %) for payment for agricultural

practices beneficial for the climate and the environment, no dossier for coupled

direct payments for sugar beet and for coupled direct payments for fruit with high

labour inputs, 3 (0.26%) for coupled direct payments for fruit with very high

labour inputs, no dossier for coupled direct payments for tomatoes, 1 (0.08%) for

coupled direct payments for vegetables with high labour inputs, no dossier for

coupled direct payments for vegetables with very high labour inputs, for coupled

direct payments for hops and no dossier for Special Areas Of Conservation too.

The declared and retained area on all control zones is compared on Fig. 5.14.

Figure 5.14. Declared and retained area (ha) for schemes CNDPs and SAPS per site.

Quality Assesment of Land Parcel Information System – QA LPIS (2019)

Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) is the main component of Integrated

Administration and Control System (IACS) for land based direct support. The

purpose of LPIS is to implement the common agricultural policy of the European

Union measures. The quality assessment framework of LPIS is an integral part of

LPIS management and upkeep processes. In this framework, the LPIS of a

MS/Region is regarded as a system under test, which is composed of two major

components: the local application schema and the data records stored in the

system. The Executable Test Suite (ETS) targets at the data component by

annually assessing conformity according to Article 6 of (EU) Regulation No

640/2014.

QA implementation is based on current images taken in the year of review.

Selected reference parcels by EC for QA LPIS were on SCRI vectorised on the

background of current satellite images, provided by EC. Subsequently, they are

compared with the valid state of the LPIS layer. The images were overlaid with

the digitized vectors showing the position of the parcels which were checked. The

land use check was completed by Rapid field visits RFVs.

QA LPIS is realized through 9 quality elements, grouped into two conformance

classes, as defined by the Regulation. Based on the item conformance verdicts

issued for the various criteria during the item inspection, verdicts made on each

conformance class. There are several reasons for errors. The two most common

are operator error and outdated orthophotomaps.

The conformance class 1 means to “assess the quality of LPIS”, and counts

non-conforming items. Furthermore, counting items offers a straightforward entry

for the LPIS upkeep processes. This counting of items includes the first three

types of the quality elements (QE1, QE2 and QE3) (Fig. 5.15).

QE1 assesses the maximum eligible area of the system and evaluates 2 quality

elements: QE1a absence of bias (i.e. accuracy) of the land represented in the LPIS

as a whole, QE1b parcel level precision of the land represented in the LPIS as

a whole – overestimation areas and underestimation areas (Fig. 5.16).

QE2 assesses individual parcels with correctness issues and evaluates 3 quality

elements: QE2a proportion of items with incorrectly recorded area or

“contaminated” with ineligible features –error type Update – outdated

orthophotomaps (Fig. 5.17).

QE2b distribution of items, according to the correctness of the eligible area

recorded and QE2c number of non-conforming reference parcels in LPIS with

classification error –mistake/ error of operator (Fig. 5.18).

QE3 shows number of reference parcels that have functional issues – "critical

defects" (Fig. 5.16).

Conformance class 2 is assessed under the last three elements (QE4, QE5 and

QE6). QE4 categorization of the non-conformities, QE5 ratio of total declared

area in relation to the total area recorded for the area conforming reference parcels

and QE6 rate of non-conforming reference parcels due to undetected and

unaccounted land cover change, as observed in ETS, accumulated over the years.

These 3 elements aim to "identify possible weaknesses", and this requires a

broader system wide analysis, beyond the individual item or reference parcel. This

is most obvious for QE4 which analyses the LPIS processes and design as factors

for creating quality problems. For instance, a single, large parcel can be

contaminated, can have critical defect (for example, multi-parcel), and can have

its land wrongly classified. Although this represents a single non-conforming

item, it does reflect three different system weaknesses.

Quality assessment of the Slovak LPIS was realized in three zones for

campaign year 2019 (Fig. 5.15). VHR satellite imagery for each zone was

delivered from JRC EC. Site 2019 QA SK – 1 cover part of Michalovce district

(EK provided World View 3 satellite image from 8th April 2019), Site 2019 QA

SK – 2 cover parts of Svidník and Stropkov Districts (EK provided GEO EYE 1

satellite image also from 8th April 2019, both SK –1 and SK – 2 QA zones are

localised in East Slovakia). Site 2019 QA Sk – 3 cover parts of Nitra, Šaľa and

Nové Zámky districts in the west part of Slovakia (EK provided World View 3

satellite image from 27th June 2019). The Satellite images were georeferenced by

SSCRI staff. Measured and archive control and check points were used. For all

three zones the Quality checks of georeference were carried out and control

protocol were elaborated.

Figure 5.15. Localization of the controlled sites in QA LPIS 2019.

Figure 5.16. Example of case with identified critical defect: a) Invalid perimeter of reference parcel

and b) Total absence of eligible features.

)

Figure 5.17. Example of the occurrence of non-agricultural land cover features on the reference

parcels with causes “Update“ – changes of the underlying land were not applied.

Figure 5.18. Example of the occurrence of non-agricultural land cover features on the reference

parcels with causes “Erroneous processing“ – a mistake of LPIS operator.

Remote sensing within crop yield and crop production forecasting (2018-2019)

Monitoring of Crop Conditions and Crop Monitoring

Regional monitoring of natural crop conditions aims to study the influence of

weather (coupled with soil) on crop growth and crop development during current

vegetation season.

NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) are derived from NOAA’s

AVHRR sensor. The NDVI vegetation index, characterizes the total biomass state

(volume and vitality), the higher the NDVI value, the more biomass is developed

(characterized by a higher content of chlorophyll in plants and hence a more

potent photosynthesis) (Fig. 5.19).

Figure 5.19. Development of the NDVI vegetation index in 2019 and its comparison with the situation

in 2018 and long-term average. Data source: NPPC-VÚPOP.

Crop yield forecasting

The aim of the crop yield and crop production forecasting is to provide the

most likely, scientific, and as precise as possible independent forecast for main

agricultural crop yields for Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the

Slovak Republic and for the public.

National Crop Yield and Crop Production Forecasting System has been created

on SSCRI and is based on three different principles which are applied to specify

vegetation indexes as biomass development stage and biomass development:

 Remote Sensing method – method of interpretation of vegetation indicators

(as NDVI or DMP – Dry matter development) from satellite images

(mainly from low resolution satellite sensors as NOAA AVHRR and SPOT

Vegetation satellite system);

 Bio-physical modelling (WOFOST model) and simulation of vegetation

indexes (mainly TWSO – Total Dry Weight of Storage Organs and TAGP

– Total Above Ground Production). In WOFOST, weather and

phenological data, soil hydro-physical data and crop physiological data are

utilized as model key inputs;

 Integrated assessment method, which means the implementation of specific

meteorological and vegetation indicators in the statistical analysis, assesses

the impact of weather on the projected harvest. Integrated estimate

summarizes a wider range of disparate indicators and indices that are

currently for the purposes of forecasting yields and consequently the

production of crops used.

The crop yield and crop production forecasting is carried out for main

agricultural crops – winter wheat, spring barley, oil seed rape, grain maize, sugar

beet, sunflower and potatoes. The forecasts are reported six times per year – in

the half of May, June and July for “winter and spring crops” and in the end of

July, August and September for “summer crops”. The forecast results are

interpreted at national level as well as at NUTS3 and NUTS4 level. The example

of crop yield forecasting in 2019 can be seen in the Figs. 5.20a and 5.20b.

Figure 5.20. Example of crop yield forecasting with remote sensing in first decade of July in 2019 for

rape (a) and in the second decade of September for maize (b).

Verification of high resolution layer – „HRL“ permanent grasslands for the

reference year 2015

Verification of the High Resolution Layer (HRL) of Permanent Grassland TTP

/ Grassland was conducted on NPPC – VUPOP according to the current

methodology. „Guidelines for verification of High Resolution Layers produced

by the CLMS (Copernicus Land Monitoring Service) as part of the 2015 reference

year production“. Thematic accuracy assessment of the HRL Grassland layer is

the goal of verification. The HRL layers are provided by EEA to NPPC through

contract with Slovak Environmental Agency. The HRLs are part of the land

use/land cover mapping component of the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service

(CLMS), serving a broad user community from European public bodies to

Member States and regional environmental authorities, as well as the value-

adding sector. They provide support to various environmental policies and

political decision-making, and significantly contribute to assessing Europe’s

current environmental status and monitoring changes over time. The Pan-

European High Resolution Layers (HRL) provide information on specific land

cover characteristics, and are complementary to land cover / land use mapping

such as in the CORINE land cover (CLC) datasets. HRL -GRA is produced

20 a

20 b

primarily from Sentinels. The pan-European HRL 2015 Grassland Layer is

available at 20 m and 100 m resolutions. To achieve the 100 m map, an

aggregation process was carried out weighting grassland, non-grassland and

unclassifiable pixels at 20 m level within a 100 m grid cell. The class majority

determined the final assignment of the 100m grid cell to a specific class.

Verification was done by two methods: a general overview of HRL Grassland

data quality and using the "Look and Feel" method (for the recommended six

strata and two types of errors Commission and Omission). One type of “Omission

error” – is documented on Fig. 5.21 – mostly grasslands without trees are correct

classified as permanent grassland. If part of the scattered trees is also presented

on agricultural land, some of them are not classified as HRL grassland TTP by

automatic classification of satellite images Sentinels. Example of Commission

error – is showed on Fig. 5.22 – arable land was classified as permanent grassland.

Relatively frequent error, especially if arable land and permanent grassland are

located side by side.

Verification was carried out visually in GIS environment interpretation and

comparison HRL Grassland with orthophotos and with thematic GIS layers

generated from the LPIS, biotopes of natural and semi-natural grassland and ZB

GIS. Generally, we conclude that the layer HRL permanent grassland is not well

classified. Time series of satellite images would help to improve the accuracy of

HRLs. In particular, various vegetation phases are a problem when identifying

Grasslands. In the future, data HRL Grassland are prerequisites for the use of data

and outcomes in a broader context.

Figure 5.21. „Omission error“ – Mostly grassland without scattered trees and bushes are classified

correct as HRL Grassland.

Figure 5.22. „Commission error“ – arable land has been classified as permanent grassland – TTP.

National Forest Centre Zvolen

Remote Sensing research activities of the National Forest Centre in Zvolen

were aimed at two main topics:

- Advanced Techniques for Biomass Mapping in Abandoned Agriculture Land

- Applications of airborne laser scanner technology in the forest management

Advanced Techniques for Biomass Mapping in Abandoned Agriculture Land

Abandonment of agricultural landscape is an all-European problem. In

Slovakia, this is a problem of large-scale land use in the area of 420-450 thousand.

ha, ie 17.5% – 18.6% of the area of 2,423,478 ha of agricultural land. Wood

biomass outside forestland is not inventoried therefore information on the spatial

distribution, increment and volume of biomass on non-forest land is not available.

ATBIOMAP, the common project of the National Forest Centre and Institute

of Geography SAS supported by European Space Agency is aimed at mapping

and quantification of aboveground biomass on Abandoned Agricultural Land

(AAL).

Methodological framework is based on analyses and cross-validation of optical

(Sentinel 2) and radar satellite data (Sentinel 1 and ALOS PALSAR-2), supported

by field research and airborne laser scanning data (ALS). The project consists of

two main parts. In the first one (responsibility of the IG SAS), a classification

system for herbaceous, shrub and tree formations on AAL has been created and

included into a land cover (LC) mapping systems to contribute to tracking the

dynamics of AAL and its assessment. In the second part (responsibility of the

NFC), a mathematical model of biomass stock estimation and an innovative

methodology of permanent tree biomass inventory on AAL, based on satellite

data, has been developed. The models were derived and verified comparing

satellite biomass estimates and field data. A total of 104 plots (Fig. 5.23 and Fig.

5.24) were established to represent the full height growth range and heterogeneity

of the shrub and tree species composition on:

 Study Area 1 – Podunajská nížina, 39 plots, of which 33 scrubs (70% doge

rose dominated areas), 2 tree-like (Acer negundo) and 4 shrub-tree stands

(plums and nuts)

 Study area 2 – Zvolenská kotlina – Víglaš: 65 plots, of which 30 scrubs

(blackthorn, dog rose), 25 forest stands (beech 28%, acacia 23%, cherry

12%, spruce 10%) and 10 shrub-tree stands

Figure 5.23. Field survey plots localisation in study area 1 – Podunajská nížina (left) and study area

2 – Zvolenská kotlina (right).

Figure 5.24. Left: field survey – cut out of biomass from plot 2x2 m; Right: biomass weighing after

harvest using hanging scales.

Satellite data aquisition

 Sentinel-1 satellite data were acquired from 5th September 2017 to 30th

September 2018

 Sentinel-2 satellite data were acquired to 4 time periods: 22nd June 2016 (top

of vegetation season); 28th January 2017 (leaf-off vegetation season with

snow); 29th March 2017 (leaf-off vegetation season without snow) and 30th

September 2018 (autumn season).

 Satelite radar ALOS-2 data we acquired in Stripmap mode (SLC format).

Study area 1: from 13th April 2017 (North–east part) and 27th April 2017

(South-west part). Study area 2: 22nd April 2017.

Sentinel-1 processing include derivation of average intensity from both

polarisation VV and VH; Sigma0, Gamma0, Beta0 and applying Refined Lee

filter from 61 images acquired from 5th September 2017 to 30th September 2018.

Coherence between images were calculated from leaf-off periods: 14-20January

2017; 14-26January2017; 20-26January2017.

The aim of Sentinel-1 stratification was to analyse separately:

 Leaf-on period (from 5.IX.2017 to 15.X.2017 and from 20.IV.2018 to

30.IX.2018)

 Leaf-off period: 17.X.2017 – 19.IV.2018 with sub-stratum 1: Leaf-off period

without snow (from 17.X. to 14.XI.2017 and from 22.III. to 19.IV 2018) and

sub-stratum 2: Leaf-off period with snow (from 14.XI.2017 to 22.III.2018)

Sentinel-2 bands in the red, near and short-wavelength infrared regions were

included in the analysis, namely B4, B5, B8, B8a and B11 with a resolution of 10

and 20 m from all four periods. Topographically normalized images (L2A) were

used for all dates.

ALOS-2 data processing included derivation of backscatter – sigma nought

(HH,VH,VV,HV), polarimetric parameters (Span, Pedestal Height, Radar

Vegetation Index, Radar Forest Degradation Index, Canopy Structure Index,

Volume Scattering Index, Biomass Index, Co and Cross Pol Ratio) and

polarimetric decomposition – Sinclair and Pauli colour coding (Fig. 5.25),

Freeman-Durden, Sinclair, Yamaguchi and H/A/alfa decompositions (Fig. 5.26),

resp. Single bounce, Double bounce and Volume scattering layers. All relevant

products were also speckle filtered using Refined Lee approach.

Figure 5.25. Pauli combination of ALOS-2

satellite bands for test area Viglas, red – HH-

VV green – HV, blue – HH+VV.

Figure 5.26. H/A/alfa decomposition for test area

Viglas – Alfa parameter.

The extensive database allows derive many combinations of stock

prediction models on AAL (Tab. 5.1). We focused our attention on:

1) estimation of biomass volume on AAL from ALOS-2 bands applying

nonlinear (power) model,

2) fusion of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data and finding the most appropriate

methods for biomass volume prediction on AAL in 2 variants: linear and

nonlinear models of biomass estimation (Fig. 5.27),

3) Fusion of all disposable RS layers applying Random Forest Algorithm

(Fig. 5.28).

Table 5.1. Models for biomass retrieval on AAL for RS data

Inputs (bands)

Model – backward stepwise multiple regression

AGB (t.ha-1)=

RMSE

(t.ha-1)

Remark

ALOS-HV, HH

e(-5.75 + 5.10 * lnALOS_HV – 3.12 * lnALOS_HH) * 1.51

0.63

117.9

ALOS-2

ALOS-VH, VV, HH, HV

-106.60 + 4.71 * ALOS-VH – 3.19 * ALOS-HH

0.33

154.1

ALOS-2

Yamaguchi 1, Yama2, Yama3

-86.34 + 24.17 * yama2 - 23.45 * yama3

0.39

146.6

ALOS-2

Sinclair decomposition

-153.45 – 70.71 * sinc1 + 78.02 * sinc2

0.38

147,4

ALOS-2

Freeman decomposition

-54.45 + 21.64 * frem2 – 21.49 * frem3

0.38

147.7

ALOS-2

22.6.2016 (B4, B5,B8, B8a, B11)

730.71 - 0.79 * B5 – 1.62 * B8 + 1.47 * B8a

0.63

115.4

Sentinel-2

22.1.2017 (B4, B5,B8, B8a, B11)

295.66 + 0.43 * B8 – 0.51 * B8a + 0.17 * B11

0.36

151.2

Sentinel-2

29.3.2017 (B4, B5,B8, B8a, B11)

384.15 - 0.98 * B8 + 1.02 * B8a - 0.21 * B11

0.32

156.1

Sentinel-2

30.9.2018 (B4,B8, B11)

161.92 - 0.74 * B4 + 0.08 * B8

0.40

145.9

Sentinel-2

SNEH-VH0 VV0, VegO-VH0 VV0

-15.35 + 5.41 * SNEH-VH0 – 6.16 * VegO-VV0

0.37

148.8

Sentinel-1

SNEH-VH0-VV0, VegO-VH0-VV0,

Coherence VV-VH (14-20-26.I.2017)

179.68 - 3.65 * C2026iVV – 4.37 * VegO-VV0 +

3.93 * SNEH-VH0

0.44

141.1

Sentinel-1

22.6.2016-B5, SNEH-VH, Veg-VV

544.61 - 0.54 * B5-22vi + 2.89 * S1-VHleaf-off -

3.38 * S1-VVleaf-on

0.58

100.1

Sentinel-1,2

Whole dataset

Random Forest Algorithm (in m3.ha-1)

0.75

106.8

All layers

Figure 5.27. Example of application of linear regression model (Sentinel-1,2) in the western part of

study area “Viglas”. Left – aerial scene, right – raster of estimated biomass (tonnes per ha).

Figure 5.28. Predicted growing stock (m3/ha), Vígľaš test area, based on Random Forest

algorithm.

Applications of airborne laser scanner technology in the forest management

Remote sensing activities related to the airborne laser scanning (ALS) over the

years 2018-19 were solved based on research projects “Innovations in the forest

inventories based on progressive technologies of remote sensing” (APVV-15-

0393) and “Research and development for support of the competitiveness of

Slovak forestry – New methods of forest inventory based on combination of

terrestrial and aerial laser scanning” (SLOV-LES).

The main objective of all activities was an enhancement of the current inventory

methods based on more precise and economically effective combination of

different approaches (e.g. individual tree defection approach and area-based

approach) and different remote sensing data (e.g. combination of ALS data with

optical and/or radar data from terrestrial, aerial and satellite remote sensing

platform; Fig. 5.29).

The proposal of algorithm is implemented in reFLex (remote Forest Land

explorer) software and several studies already demonstrated that forest stand

variables can be estimated with sufficient accuracy using developed algorithm. A

Forest Management Unit Vígľaš covering a total area of 12,472 ha was selected

for assessment of accuracy and feasibility of developed algorithm. Specifically,

the differences between ground-measured and RS-estimated forest stands

variables reached values of 16.4%, 12.1%, −26.8%, and −35.4% for the mean

height, mean diameter, volume per hectare, and trees per hectare, respectively

(Sačkov et al. 2019a, 2019b).

Figure 5.29. Fusion of airborne (green colour) and terrestrial (blue colour) laser scanning data.

Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic (MOE SR)

Activities of the MOE SR were concentrated on the work involved with the

Copernicus programme:

Copernicus programme is the European programme for Earth Observation.

The Programme entered its full operational stage in the year 2014. The work on

the EU level was concentrated on cooperation with the Copernicus Committee,

Copernicus Security board, Copernicus User forum and Copernicus Ground

segment task force and commenting on the EU level the technical and legislative

documents regarding the Programme.

Cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) is limited due the fact

that the Slovak Republic is not full member of ESA yet. Slovakia is however

actively participating in Plan for European cooperating States (PECS). Several

organization and companies from Slovakia were successful in 5 open calls for

PECS projects. Cooperation with the European Environment Agency (EEA) was

concentrated on preparation of the next CORINE Land Cover (CLC) 2018 and

High Resolution Layer (HRL) products as a part of the Copernicus Land

observation service. At the national level the Slovak national Copernicus working

group continued its operation with the aim to coordinate Copernicus related

activities on the national level and dissemination of information related to

Copernicus programme. MOE SR distributes the Sentinel satellite images for the

Slovak Republic on demand. Compared to previous period user uptake and usage

of the Copernicus data has growing trend but is still relatively low compared to

neighbouring EU countries. Several public government organizations and private

companies are actively using Copernicus spatial data. In the following years

Slovakia plans to focus on user trainings in remote sensing and Programme

information dissemination.

Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice is member of Copernicus academy

network and is actively using Copernicus programme spatial data in its courses

and lectures. Private company InSAR is successfully operate as member of

Copernicus Relays network, promoting the information about programme and

data usage to public and professional through workshops, courses and conference.

Two annual Hackathons were organised in Bratislava with successful use of the

Copernicus data by the participants to develop application prototypes.

Slovak Environmental Agency (SEA) in Banská Bystrica

Activities of the SEA were concentrated on the work involved with the

Copernicus programme:

Copernicus is the European programme for Earth Observation. The

Programme entered its full operational stage in the year 2014. The work on the

EU level was concentrated on cooperation with the Copernicus Committee,

Copernicus Security board, Copernicus User forum and Copernicus Ground

segment task force and commenting on the EU level the technical and legislative

documents regarding the Programme. Cooperation with the European Space

Agency is limited due the fact that the Slovak Republic is not full member of ESA

yet. Cooperation with the European Environment Agency (ESA) was

concentrated on implementation of the CORINE Land Cover (CLC) 2018 and the

High Resolution Layer (HRL) products as a part of the Copernicus Land

observation service. Copernicus supporting activities for the period 2017-2021:

Copernicus Land Monitoring

SEA joined the activities in project Copernicus Local Land monitoring services

under Framework Contract EEA/IDM/R0/16/009/Slovakia. The contract between

SEA and EEA was signed on 8 June 2017 and project tasks were implemented

from autumn 2017 till end of 2018. The project flagship was CLC2018, the fifth

CLC inventory in Europe. The final integrated European results are available

since late 2018.

Project tasks undertaken by SEA:

 finalised in 2018-2019:

◦ Verification of 2012 reference year local component products.

◦ Production of CLC for the 2018 reference year.

◦ Post-production verification of the HRL’s for the 2015 reference year.

◦ mapping national geospatial resources to EAGLE matrix

 Post 2019 tasks:

◦ Post-production verification of the HRL’s for the 2018 reference year.

◦ Support and testing of future CLC+ (2nd generation CLC

methodological improvements and developments), based on CLC2018

products.

Figure 5.30. The screenshot of new SEA webpage.

All of the time horizons CLC data has been published as standard OGC

services and also are available through new webpage http://corine.sazp.sk (Fig.

5.30). The info day about Corine Land Cover 2018 activities and output products

was also held on March, 28th, 2019 in SEA to fulfil project dissemination

activities.

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[7] KOVÁČIKOVÁ, I., SVIČEK, M., KAUSITZ, I. (2018). The 2018 campaign

of remote-sensing control of area-based subsidies. Interim report, NAFC-SSCRI

Bratislava, 9 pp.

[8] ONAČILLOVÁ, K., GALLAY, M. (2018). Spatio-temporal analysis of

surface urban heat island based on LANDSAT ETM+ and OLI/TIRS imagery in

the city of Košice, Slovakia. Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental

Sciences, 13(2), 395 – 408.

[9] SAČKOV, I., KULLA, L., BUCHA, T. (2019). A Comparison of Two Tree

Detection Methods for Estimation of Forest Stand and Ecological Variables from

Airborne LiDAR Data in Central European Forests. Remote Sensing, 11, 1431.

[10] SAČKOV, I., SCHEER, L., BUCHA, T. (2019). Predicting forest stand

variables from airborne LiDAR data using a tree detection method in Central

European forests. Central European Forestry Journal, 65, 191-197.

[11] SKALSKÝ, R., FULMEKOVÁ, Z., SVIČEK, M., KUSÝ, D. (2019).

Application and updating of the national agro-meteorological modelling system

to estimate crop production and crop yield (SK_CGMS). Final report to solving

tasks under the contract with MPRV for the year 2019. SSCRI, Bratislava, 35 pp.

[12] SKALSKÝ, R., FULMEKOVÁ, Z., SVIČEK, M., KUSÝ, D. (2019). The

yield forecast of winter crops in the first decade of May 2019. Naše pole, 23, 8,

32- 34.

[13] SKALSKÝ, R., FULMEKOVÁ, Z., SVIČEK, M., KUSÝ, D. (2019). The

yield forecast of maize, sunflower, sugar beet and potatoes on 20th September

2019. Naše pole, 23, 11, 43- 45.

[14] ŠAŠAK, J., GALLAY, M., KAŇUK, J., HOFIERKA, J., MINÁR, J. (2019).

Combined use of terrestrial laser scanning and UAV photogrammetry in mapping

alpine terrain. Remote Sensing, 11 (18), 2154.

[15] XIAO, H., KOPECKÁ, M., GUO, S., GUAN, Y., CAI, D., ZHANG, Ch.,

ZHANG, X., YAO, W. (2018) Responses of urban land surface temperature on

land cover: a comparative study of Vienna and Madrid. Sustainability, 10, 2, art.

no. 260. Available at: http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/2/260/htm

6. SPACE METEOROLOGY 2018-2019

J. Kaňák, Ľ. Okon, L. Méri, M. Jurašek

6.1. Fully automated quantitative estimation of cloud top height using

stereoscopic Meteosat dual satellite observations

EUMETSAT provides perfect stereoscopic data from Meteosat 10/11 (Basic

service) and Meteosat 8 (IODC service) over large areas of Central and East

Europe, Middle East Asia, central and South African regions from 2016. The

presented work describes proposed experimental product, which is using AMV

(Atmospheric Motion Vectors algorithm) to detect mutual parallax shifts of

clouds in coupled imagery. This product is based on previous investigations of

manual measurements of parallax shifts, which were presented at the

EUMETSAT 2017 conference in Rome. Parallax shifts we are currently

calculating for 32x32 pixel boxes over 16x16 pixels grid, but are planned to be

tested also for smaller/optimized boxes and grid spacing. Fully automated

calculations over the big regions covered by dual satellites observations can serve

as important supplement data to other methods and products like NWCSAF Cloud

Top Height and Cloud Type, or shadows length based estimations of cloud top

heights. Algorithm is working not only with High Resolution Visible (HRV) but

also with other IR and VIS spectral bands. Considering 12 SEVIRI channels we

obtained wide experimental set of dual satellite parallax shifts for different cloud

types and heights. New, third generation of geostationary satellites with finer

image resolution and global coverage bring us to new possibilities how to

combine and use more efficiently overlapping satellite fields of view.

6.1.1. Mathematical background of automated quantitative estimation of

cloud top height

Fully automated computer processing of dual satellite images is divided in

SHMI operational chain into following steps:

1. Identification of cloud structures in the left and right satellite images using

Atmospheric Motion Vector (AMV) algorithm

2. Coupling cloud structures using dual set of Cartesian coordinates [xleft , yleft]

and [xright, yright]

3. Converting Cartesian to geographical coordinates [λleft , φleft] and [λright , φright]

4. Calculating parallax corrected positions of clouds in left and right image

[λleft , φleft]corr and [λright , φright]corr

5. Calculating horizontal (surface) distance d between left and right corrected

positions (note that for sea level parallax correction is equal to zero):

d = distance { [λleft , φleft]corr; [λright , φright]corr }

6. In iteration steps changing the elevation E in 100 meters steps from surface up

to 20 km atmosphere layer

7. Repeating calculation steps 3, 4, 5, 6 for each elevation E to look for minimal

horizontal distance dmin

8. Final statement of calculations: Elevation E(dmin) is corresponding to the

minimum distance dmin is considered as the height of the cloud.

Practical realization is done by numerical iteration process – calculations of

the distance d between the lines connecting the satellite and the cloud – finding

the height of minimum distance (intercept-point). Graphical explanation is shown

in Fig. 6.1.

Figure 6.1. Quantitative estimation of cloud top height using stereoscopic Meteosat dual satellite

observations. Iteration process is represented by set of horizontal yellow lines. Lines are representing

horizontal distance between left and right rays in different elevations. Minimum distance between lines

(in optimal case d=0) is indicating the cross point of these lines – related to the cloud top height. In

practice zero value of d is only limit because of various sources of errors.

6.1.2. AMV (Atmospheric Motion Vectors) algorithm

Algorithm comes from CEI Nowcasting Project 2002-2004 in cooperation of

ZAMG Austria and SHMI Slovakia. Algorithm is based on definition of limited

area in the first image and look for identical image structure in the second image.

Shift of structure between images corresponds to mutual parallax shift between

left and right satellite cloud observations. Originally algorithm was used only for

WV channels smooth structures. We made set of tests with all infrared MSG

channels using standard cross-correlation technique applied to rectangular targets

over the image matrix with the aim of detecting optimal shift between target and

matcher.

Calculations are applied to regular satellite image grid (step size is optional from

maximum 10 to minimum single image pixels). Basic assumption must be

fulfilled that images from left and right satellites must be re-projected from Geo-

satellite view into common cartographic map. The core calculation expression is:

Software of this algorithm was originally written in Fotran-90. For the

purposes of automated quantitative estimation of cloud top height algorithm was

translated into C language and parametrized for optimal performance with image

data of MSG SEVIRI spectral bands as follows:

Parameter: Step 16x16 Step 8x8

Correlation window size 33 33

Span of possible displacements 36 36

X-coordinate of first column 32 32

Y-coordinate of first row 32 32

X-difference between vectors 16 8

Y-difference between vectors 16 8

Number of vectors in x-direction 122 244

Number of vectors in y-direction 91 182

Gaussian pyramid iterations 2 2

Number of smoothing cycles 3 3

6.1.3. Validation of proposed method and final product

AMV algorithm enables us to obtain quickly and automatically dual parallax

cloud shifts over the big regions monitored by dual MSG satellite constellation.

Output from the software is displayed in the special visualization tool, as it is

shown in Fig. 6.2. This tool can be used also for validation purposes, as the length

of arrows can be compared with manually measured parallax shifts and cloud top

can be derived; simultaneously we can use the tool to measure the length of cloud

shadows, which provide another way how to estimate cloud tops.

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Figure 6.2. Example shows the arrows, length of which is equivalent to Cloud Top Height (CTH).

Colour lines generated by validation tool represent directions to the left and right satellites. Cross points

of line couples are corresponding to the real cloud top position in 3-D coordinate system.

The most common problem occurring during validation was resulting from

improper or not accurate geolocation/rectification of satellite images. Precision of

geolocation depends on current satellite status of its positional sensors, which

provide auxiliary information for image rectification. As Meteosat-8 satellite was

launched in 2002, eccentricity of satellite axis rotation is much higher and we are

coupling the images from this satellite with Meteosat-10 or Meteosat-11, launched

in 2012 and 2015 respectively, with high rotational stability of their movement.

But using additional corrections of image rectification in case of Meteosat-8 we

were able to minimize errors of mutual parallax shifts. Results after these

corrections are showed in Fig. 6.3.

Final product is created using linear interpolation of gridded CTH data into

the original satellite grid. Example of final product is shown in Fig. 6.4.

Figure 6.3. Using additional correction of image rectification for Meteosat-8 we obtained proper

orientation of parallax shifts and more precise calculations of cloud tops.

Figure 6.4. Final Cloud Top Height product overlaid over the MSG satellite high resolution visible

image. Colour scale is calibrated in kilometres. Final precision of product according validation results

is 500 meters for 40% of cases and 1km for 60% of cases.

6.2. Way from MSG to MTG satellite user’s training and operational

supporting tools

6.2.1. Introduction

Geostationary satellites monitor practically the whole globe except Polar

Regions; therefore imagery from these satellites is very frequently used by

number of users over the world for weather and climate observations, and for

forecasting and nowcasting purposes. Different technical and software

capabilities are available through both commercial and non-commercial

opportunities for exploitation of these satellites in training and operational

activities. This work presents more than 10 years of skills with SHMI MSGProc

software development, distribution and communication with users who depend on

solutions based on simple installation, easy maintenance and minimum hardware

requirements. This kind of users was identified by EUMETSAT training division

in NMHS of south-east European region countries (so called DAWBEE users),

but also by our personal skills on the base of communication with users in Brazil,

Africa and other countries, mainly from the universities, where our software was

provided on the user’s request. This, originally MSG-dedicated software, is

currently renamed to “GEOProc” and enhanced to be reusable for new

geostationary platforms as HIMAWARI and GOES new generation with the

intention to be usable for Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellite imagery at

the first moment of MTG operations. We recognized openness of EUMETSAT in

this activity in the frame of ‘MTGUP!’ initiative.

6.2.2. Background

SHMI developed and is using operationally home-made processing software

for geo satellites, starting with MSG era:

• MSGProc and new GEOProc for HIMAWARI, GOES-16, 17 data available

from EUMETCast system

• New experiences thanks to close cooperation with EUMETSAT on DAWBEE

project (Data Access to West Balkan and East European countries)

• The group of users was found, which requires easy to install, configure and

usage software for their needs

• Opportunity to re-use current experience also for MTG satellite data

6.2.3. SHMI software solution

Some special features of SHMI solution are described and discussed in

presented work, starting with data acquisition, main processing steps up to final

RGB products generation and visualization. Attention is focused to effectiveness

of input data processing, data calibration, and special image corrections with

contribution of the Sun and satellite zenith angles, light diffusion in visible bands,

and anisotropy of atmosphere in infrared spectral bands. Considering that new

generation of geostationary satellites are providing much higher volumes of raw

data than current MSG satellites, we are now performing online data reception

tests via EUMETCast service from HIMAWARI-8, 9 and GOES-16, 17 satellites.

We also perform processing of these data to RGB imagery in operational mode.

First skills with the new software solution, and selected image examples of typical

weather situations from already generated list of products at SHMI are shown and

discussed in final part of this report.

6.2.4. Software concept and features

• Easy and quick installation

• Simple usage and maintenance

• Pre-defined RGB products are generated according well-known recipes

• New RGB products can be added easily or existing can be modified

• Effective usage of calculating resources and short processing time

• Processing of current GEO (MSG, GOES, HIMAWARI) satellite

geostationary services

• C and C-shell programming without necessity of external libraries and third

party software

6.2.5 Corrections of solar channels

Because of increasing number of spectral bands parallel processing and reusing

of pre-calculated parameters approach was selected. Corrections of solar channels

are done for Sun height and Satellite zenith angles according functions shown in

Fig. 6.5.

Figure 6.5. Correction of solar albedo on Sun height (left) and on satellite zenith angle (right).

While Sun height is determined using standard Sun coordinates – right

ascension and declination, functions for corrected albedo are based on empirical

equations (1).

Corr = 1./(a*sin(α)+b*sqrt(sn(α))); where a = 0.6 b = 0.4, α is Sun zenith angle (1)

offset_sunh ≈ pow ( MaxH - α, 3 ); partial correction offset for Sun height

offset_satz ≈ zenith / α; partial correction offset for Satellite zenith angle

offset = offset0 - offset_sunh - offset_satz; total correction offset

6.2.6 Airmass full Earth disk RGB enhanced

Originally set of RGB products was defined very early after the launch of the

first satellite from MSG satellite series. Product parameters (colour component’s

minimum and maximum values) were fixed over the whole Earth disk. After the

years EUMETSAT recommended to differentiate between equatorial and mid

latitudes for some RGB products, mainly when convection is displayed. We

suggested to use floating values instead of constants with the aim to put equatorial

and mid latitudes regions into common maps. Original settings for Airmass

product were:

Channel Min Max Gamma

Red Diff (6.2-7.3) -25° 0° 1

Green Diff (9.6-11.2) -40° 5° 1

Blue WV (6.2) 208K 243K -1

For the full disk containing also tropical regions we defined R, G, and B

thresholds depending on latitude according cosine shape as follows:

Channel Min Max Gamma

Red Diff (6.2-7.3) -25+Δ/2-Δcos (φ); Δ=-8 Min+25 1

Green Diff (9.6-11.2) -40+Δ/2-Δcos (φ); Δ=-8 Min+45 1

Blue WV (6.2) 208+Δ/2-Δcos (φ); Δ=20 Min+35 -1

Calculated new correction values for R, G and B components are shown in

Fig. 6.6.

Fig. 6.6. Latitude dependent minimum and maximum values of Airmass full Earth disk RGB

product color components; red at left up, green at upper right and blue at left down plot.

Processed full Earth disk image couple at right down: before (left) and after the correction

(right).

6.2.7. Selected demonstration cases and conclusions

Following list of meteorological cases was created for various scenes from

GOES and HIMAWARI imagery data:

• Fire smoke and fire temp RGB products

• Raikoke eruption and rotating SO2 clouds (Airmass wholes)

• Goes-16 / MSG-4 comparison of common regions

• Twin cyclones in Australia and Pacific

• ship contrails GOES-16 2019-08-28 17:30 UTC

• Sun eclipse in South America

• Super typhoon Wutip of category 5 in western Pacific -10 minutes scan

EUMETCast Europe service of EUMETSAT is providing operationally

valuable data from new GEO satellites for training purposes of SHMU staff;

Thanks to this service users have opportunity monitor and study in (near) real

time weather over the globe;

Space and time of provided data is slightly reduced due to transfer capacities,

but good enough to make users familiar with new RGB possibilities based on new

set of 16 spectral channels (in comparison to old GEO standard 5 or 12 channels);

Users of new generation of EUMETSAT geo satellites must be aware in near

future that new channels and higher space and time resolution will bring extreme

requirements on data transfer and data processing; but they can await new

enhanced possibilities of new physical and meteorological information for

weather analyses and forecast.

6.3. Dual-frequency precipitation satellite radar and H-SAF product

upscaling procedure over MSG full-disk area developed at SHMI

Slovakia (SHMI) is member of consortium in EUMETSAT H-SAF project

since 2005. In cooperation with Italian Department of Civil Protection we are

cooperating in validation of satellite precipitation estimations. We are using

ground meteorological radar network data for standard validation of H-SAF

products over European region. But for global products like Precipitation rate at

ground by MW cross-track scanners (with indication of phase) it is more practical

to use other similar equipment on board of satellites. We found possibility of

validation using product 2ADPR – Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR)

measurements on board of GPM (Global Precipitation Mission) satellites.

Example of such product is shown in Fig. 6.7.

Figure 6.7. Example of 2ADPR Precipitation Rate product based on measurements by DPR

instrument on board GPM satellites.

H-SAF product called H02B is a map of instantaneous precipitation (mm/hr)

generated from MW cross-track scanning radiometers on board of satellites in sun

synchronous orbit. Currently processing data are coming from AMSU-A/MHS on

board European MetOp and U.S. NOAA satellites. Spatial Resolution of product

corresponds to the nominal resolution of MHS, varying with the viewing scan

angle from 16 x 16 km2 (circular) at nadir to 26 x 52 km2 (ellipse) at scan edge.

According to user requirements the thresholds, target and optimal accuracy of

products is depending on precipitation range, as it is stated in the table:

Precipitation range

Threshold

Target

Optimal

> 10 mm/h

1-10 mm/h

120

105

< 1 mm/h

240

145

Example of H02B product is shown in Fig. 6.8.

Figure 6.8. Example of H02B product - instantaneous precipitation (mm/hr) generated from

MW cross-track scanning radiometers on board of satellites in sun synchronous orbit MetOp

(EUMETSAT) and NOAA.

To validate/compare these relatively different products we elaborated special

software package, which is re-mapping both products into common regular

longitude-latitude grid. Complete product set contains more parameters:

 Cloud phase liquid-solid (discrete parameter)

 Rate of product confidence (discrete parameter)

 Land/Coast/Ocean flag (discrete parameter)

 Precipitation rate mm/h (continuous parameter)

 Standard deviation of precipitation rate (continuous parameter)

 Time of acquisition in Julian day (continuous parameter)

Upscaling (re-mapping) of each parameter require different approach, which

depend on its characteristics. In general we split parameters to two categories –

continuous and discrete. In upscaling algorithm mean value is selected for

continuous and median for discrete parameters. Visualized selected parameters

for H02 product are shown in Fig. 6.9, for 2DPR/GPM product in Fig. 6.10.

Figure 6.9. Upscale of H02B H-SAF product parameters to regular longitude-latitude grid in

resolution of 0.1x0.1 degrees. From left to the right: Land/Coast/Sea flag, Precipitation Rate,

Cloud Phase.

Figure 6.10. Upscale of 2DPR/GPM product parameters to regular longitude-latitude grid in

resolution of 0.1x0.1 degrees. From left to the right: Land/Coast/Sea flag, Precipitation Rate,

Cloud Phase.

H02B H-SAF product space resolution is lower, but the swath of satellite

instrument is quite wide, approximately 2250 km. In opposite, space resolution of

2ADPR/GPM product is higher, but swath of dual-frequency radar is much lower,

only 300 km. The advantage of 2ADPR product is that dual-frequency Doppler

radar is capturing precipitation intensities and phase with high reliability and

instrument data are physically better convertible to precipitation intensity than in

the case of microwave measurements with MetOp and NOAA satellites.

References:

[1] KAŇÁK, J. (2018). Fully automated quantitative estimation of cloud top

height using stereoscopic Meteosat satellite observations. EUMETSAT

Meteorological Satellite Conference. Tallin, 17.-21. September 2018.

https://www.eumetsat.int/website/wcm/idc/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dDo

cName=ZIP_CONF_2018_PRES_S3_ORAL&RevisionSelectionMethod=Lates

tReleased&Rendition=Web

[2] KUTIŠ, V., VALKO, P., DRŽÍK, M., SLAČKA, J., FARKAS, G., RAKÚS,

M., HUBINSKÝ, P., KAŇÁK, J. (2018). Kozmické technológie. Bratislava:

Slovenská technická univerzita.

[3] KAŇÁK, J., JURAŠEK, M., OKON, Ľ., MÉRI, L. (2019). Way from MSG to

MTG satellite user’s training and operational supporting tools. Joint

EUMETSAT/AMS/NOAA Conference. Boston, 30 September – 4 October 2019.

Conference paper:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339301631_1E2_WAY_FROM_MSG

_TO_MTG_SATELLITE_USER'S_TRAINING_AND_OPERATIONAL_SUP

PORTING_TOOLS

Video-record from the coference:

https://ams.confex.com/ams/JOINTSATMET/videogateway.cgi/id/504859?reco

rdingid=504859

[4] PETRACCA, M., KAŇÁK, J., PORCU, F., IWANSKI, R., LAPETA, B.,

DIÓSZEGHY, M., SZENYÁN, I., BAGUIS, P., ROULIN, E., OZTOPAL, A.,

KRAHE, P., KUNKEL, A., ARTINIAN, E., ChERVENKOV, H.,

CACCIAMANI, C., TONIAZZO, A., VULPIANI, G., PUCA S. (2019). Results

of comparison between precipitation estimates by MW scanner and dual-

frequency precipitation satellite radar according H-SAF validation methodology

over MSG full-disk area. Joint EUMETSAT/AMS/NOAA Conference. Boston, 30

September – 4 October 2019. Conference poster abstract link:

https://ams.confex.com/ams/JOINTSATMET/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/360562

7. INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED IN SPACE RESEARCH

Members of the National Committee of COSPAR with e-mail addresses.

The website of NC is http://nccospar.saske.sk.

Astronomical Institute (AI)

Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)

Stará Lesná

059 60 Tatranská Lomnica

J. Rybák (choc@astro.ta3.sk, NC member)

Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics (FMPI)

Comenius University

Mlynská dolina

842 15 Bratislava

J. Masarik (Jozef.Masarik@fmph.uniba.sk, NC member)

National Forest Centre

T.G. Masaryka 22

960 92 Zvolen

contact: T. Bucha (bucha@nlcsk.org)

Earth Science Institute (ESI)

Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)

Dúbravská cesta 9

840 05 Bratislava

M. Revallo (milos.revallo@savba.sk, Secretary of NC)

Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics

Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)

Moyzesova 61

900 28 Ivanka pri Dunaji

I. Hapala (Ivan.Hapala@savba.sk, NC member)

Institute of Experimental Endocrinology (IEE)

Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)

Vlárska 3

833 06 Bratislava

Institute of Experimental Physics (IEP)

Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)

Watsonova 47

040 01 Košice

P. Bobík (bobik@saske.sk, NC member)

Institute of Geography (IGG)

Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)

Štefánikova 49

814 73 Bratislava

J. Feranec (feranec@savba.sk, Vice-Chair of NC)

Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics

Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)

Račianska 75

831 02 Bratislava 3

J. Lapin (juraj.lapin@savba.sk, NC member)

Institute of Measurement Science (IMS)

Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)

Dúbravská 9

842 19 Bratislava

contact: I. Frollo (frollo@savba.sk)

Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology (INPP)

Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)

Sienkiewiczova 1

813 71 Bratislava

contact: F. Hlavačka (Frantisek.Hlavacka@savba.sk)

Slovak Central Observatory (SCO)

Komárňanská 137

947 01 Hurbanovo

I. Dorotovič (ivan.dorotovic@suh.sk, Chair of NC, Representative

of Slovak NC to COSPAR)

Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic

Tajovského 28

975 90 Banská Bystrica

contact: J. Nováček (jozef.novacek@enviro.gov.sk)

Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

Jeséniova 17

833 15 Bratislava

contact: J. Kaňák (jan.kanak@shmu.sk, NC member)

Slovak Organization for Space Activities (SOSA)

Ilkovičova 3 (FEI STU)

812 19 Bratislava

contact: M. Musilová (michaela.musilova@stuba.sk, NC member)

National Agricultural and Food Centre

Soil Science and Conservation Research Institute

Trenčianska 55

821 09 Bratislava

contact: M. Sviček (michal.svicek@nppc.sk)

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